YA HEARD: Master P’s brother convicted of murder

“What the mass media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is intended to be consumed like food, forgotten, and replaced by a new dish.“

— W. H. Auden

On Tuesday, a Louisiana jury found Corey “C-Murder” Miller guilty of 2nd degree murder in the 2002 shooting death of then 16-year-old Steve Thomas. Miller, the younger brother of Percy ‘Master P’ Miller,
was found guilty after a bouncer at the club where the shooting took place testified on what he remembered from that fateful night.

The bouncer, Darnell Jordan, testified that he did not see Miller with a gun that night, but did add that he witnessed Miller place his arm under a pile of 15 to 20 people who were beating up the teen
and “saw the muzzle flash and heard the gunshot.”

The jury in the case reportedly had a hard time convicting Miller after initially coming back from deliberations deadlocked on Monday. After being ordered to further deliberate, the jurors eventually returned
with a 10-2 vote that officially convicted the No Limit Recording artist of 2nd degree murder.

The penalty for such a crime in the state of Louisiana carries a maximum life sentence.

This is actually the second time that Miller has been convicted of the same crime. Back in 2004, the rapper was convicted of murder and promptly sentenced to life in prison. That conviction was later
overturned when an appellate judge ruled that the prosecution had withheld the criminal records of some of their witnesses in an attempt to help their credibility. That decision freed Miller from prison . . .
up until Tuesday of course.

Needless to say, this entire situation was another senseless tragedy. A man watching a teenager get pummeled by a group of people should be a crime in itself. Furthermore, if Miller actually did kill the
young man, then he deserves what he gets.

Just in time for football season

Embattled former NFL Quarterback Michael Vick was spotted in a recent video with rapper Young Jeezy. Not quite sure if the company of a Young Jeezy is a good look for Vick, who is currently trying to
get signed by an NFL team. Vick just completed an 18-month prison sentence for participating in a dog-fighting ring. For the time being, it may be wise for Vick to stick to the likes of his current mentor
and former Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy.

While we’re on the subject of NFL quarterbacks, a Nevada woman has accused Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault. Last month, Andrea McNulty sued the two-time
Super Bowl winner for allegedly forcing her to have sex in a Nevada hotel room back in 2008. No charges have been filed and police are said to be investigating the incident.

What I find most interesting about this story is the lack of media attention. The media frenzy looks to be the only variable missing in the equation of superstar athlete plus potential serious legal problems.
It seems that Mr. Roethlisberger is actually enjoying the right of being presumed innocent until proven guilty.

As a matter of fact, some of you are probably hearing about these allegations here for the very first time.

I am not placing guilt on Roethlisberger, but I would like to say that the national media has decided not to fan the flames here. That “decision” leaves the parties involved the time to get to the bottom of
this fairly.

But, if my memory serves me correctly, another star athlete by the name of Kobe Bryant was in a similar situation to that of Big Ben’s a few years back. In Bryant’s case, he was tried and convicted in
the media before he even stepped foot in a courtroom. The question is not about the man or men being mentioned here, it is about presumptions that a media outlet makes or doesn’t make. I’m not
wishing for Ben to get dragged through the mud, yet I find it interesting that the media is staying away from this story. I don’t believe race is the only factor that is behind the differing degrees of coverage,
but it makes one wonder.

Ya Heard Trivia

In the 1992 film titled “Juice,” name the then teenage actor who played the role of “Q.”

Be the third person to e-mail me the correct answer and receive two free AMC movie tickets courtesy of the News & Messenger. ‘Til next week, Peace!!!

Dennis Winn can be reached at 703-200-4928 or .