The Louisiana Supreme Court has delivered a devastating final blow to rapper Corey “C-Murder” Miller, unanimously denying his latest bid for post-conviction relief on February 3, 2026, effectively ending his state-level appeals and leaving him to serve out his life sentence without parole for the 2002 murder of teenager Steve Thomas.
In a concise ruling, the seven justices rejected Miller’s application, declaring he had “exhausted his right to state collateral review” and found no grounds for an exception to allow further filings. This marks the third denial from the state’s highest court—following rejections in 2011 and 2012—solidifying the 2009 second-degree murder conviction that has kept the 54-year-old incarcerated at the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) for over two decades.
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The case dates back to January 12, 2002, when 16-year-old Steve Thomas was shot dead outside the Platinum Club in Harvey, Jefferson Parish. Thomas was fatally wounded in the chest amid a chaotic altercation involving Miller and his crew. After a mistrial in 2003, a 2009 retrial resulted in a guilty verdict and a mandatory life sentence without parole.
Miller has steadfastly proclaimed his innocence, pointing to alleged witness tampering, coerced testimonies, recantations from key witnesses post-trial, and questions over evidence handling—including DNA and ballistics inconsistencies. Supporters have long argued the conviction hinged on unreliable accounts rather than conclusive proof linking him to the firearm.
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The Supreme Court’s terse “No” has reverberated through the hip-hop world, with fans, activists, and some celebrities expressing outrage over what they call a miscarriage of justice. Social media platforms lit up with hashtags and calls for federal intervention or clemency, though legal experts note federal habeas corpus petitions face steep barriers once state remedies are exhausted.
Born Corey Miller in 1971, the New Orleans native rose to prominence in the late 1990s under No Limit Records, founded by his brother Master P. Albums like Life or Death (1998) and Tru 2 da Game defined the era’s Southern rap sound. Legal troubles derailed his career, with incarceration beginning in 2002 (interrupted briefly by bail during appeals). From prison, he has released music and spoken on reform issues.
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At Angola, one of the nation’s most notorious maximum-security facilities, Miller has spent years in a harsh environment far from the spotlight. Without parole eligibility under Louisiana law for his sentence (unless granted executive clemency), this ruling appears to lock in his fate barring extraordinary measures like gubernatorial pardon or a breakthrough in federal court.
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The decision has left the rap community reeling, with many viewing it as the definitive end to a decades-long battle. Supporters vow to continue advocating, but for now, the Louisiana Supreme Court’s words stand: “NO MORE REVIEWS.” C-Murder’s last major hope in state courts has been crushed.