In a development that’s reigniting debates over one of hip-hop’s most controversial convictions, Corey “C-Murder” Miller, the No Limit Records veteran serving a life sentence for a 2002 murder, has broken his silence through his attorney Jane Hogan. The 54-year-old rapper, incarcerated at Louisiana’s notorious Angola State Penitentiary since 2009, issued a statement via Hogan on December 2, 2025, expressing “profound disappointment” over the denial of his latest appeal but vowing to fight on. “After 23 years behind bars for a crime I didn’t commit, the truth is finally emerging,” Miller said in the message, read aloud by Hogan during a press conference in New Orleans. “The retracted testimonies of my accusers prove my innocence—yet the courts continue to ignore the evidence. I won’t stop until justice prevails.” The statement, the first direct word from Miller in months, has sent shockwaves through the music world, with supporters like his brother Master P and advocate Kim Kardashian renewing calls for a retrial.
Miller’s saga began on January 12, 2002, when 16-year-old Steve Thomas was fatally shot during a scuffle at the Platinum Club in Harvey, Louisiana. Miller, then 30 and riding high as part of the No Limit collective with hits like “Down South Hustlers,” was arrested days later. The prosecution’s case hinged on two eyewitnesses: bouncer Darnell Jordan and clubgoer Kenneth Jordan (no relation), who identified Miller as the shooter. Convicted of second-degree murder in 2003, Miller’s sentence was vacated in 2006 after a judge ruled prosecutors withheld criminal histories of the witnesses, tainting their credibility. A retrial in 2009 ended with another guilty verdict and a mandatory life term without parole, despite juror admissions of pressure during deliberations.
Hope flickered in 2018 when both Jordans recanted their testimonies on Investigation Discovery’s Reasonable Doubt. Darnell claimed police coerced him with threats of a 10-year sentence for unrelated charges, while Kenneth said detectives locked him up to force a false ID. “I was pressured to lie,” Darnell stated, alleging the Jordans were “dragged to trial as material witnesses.” These affidavits formed the backbone of Miller’s 2023 federal habeas corpus petition, filed under Louisiana’s 2021 “factual innocence” law, which allows untimely post-conviction relief for new evidence of innocence. High-profile allies piled on: Kim Kardashian tweeted in August 2023, “Corey Miller has spent 21 years in prison for a crime he did not commit,” citing the recantations and withheld evidence. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined the team in August 2021, while Master P staged hunger strikes and rallies, decrying Angola’s conditions.
But the courts have been unmoved. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance denied the habeas in November 2023, calling the recantations “suspect and not reliable” due to the witnesses’ prior consistent identifications. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in August 2024, slamming the door on federal relief. Hogan, Miller’s lead counsel since 2018, expressed “profound disappointment” but remains defiant: “We’re optimistic for a state hearing on his substantial claim of innocence. The evidence is overwhelming—two key witnesses admitting perjury under coercion, plus expert reports on flawed police procedures.” A pending state petition under the 2021 law could force a new trial, potentially as early as 2026, if granted an evidentiary hearing.
Miller’s statement, his first since a 2021 hunger strike protesting COVID risks and withheld evidence, underscores the toll: “I’ve lost decades, but I hold onto faith in the truth.” From No Limit’s platinum era—albums like Trapped in Crime (2000) selling 200k copies—to prison mixtapes like Ricochet (2013), Miller’s maintained innocence, self-releasing four albums from Angola. Supporters, including Monica (his ex) and Romeo Miller (nephew), rally with #FreeCMurder, amassing 100k signatures. Kardashian’s involvement drew backlash from Thomas’s family, who called it a “slap in the face,” but Hogan counters: “New evidence demands a fair hearing—justice for Steve means truth for Corey.”
As appeals grind on, Miller’s case symbolizes hip-hop’s intersection with injustice: coerced witnesses, racial bias in Louisiana courts, and celebrity advocacy’s double-edged sword. Will retracted testimonies finally carry weight? Hogan hints at a “glimmer of light” in state proceedings. For now, from Angola’s fields, C-Murder speaks: “The system failed, but my voice won’t.” The rap world’s watching—will freedom follow?
