Just weeks before C-Murder's murder retrial was to begin, a friend of the rapper has come forward claiming he was the shooter at a New Orleans nightclub in 2002 that left a 16-year-old boy dead.

According to the The Times-Picayune, Juan Flowers -- who was with the rapper (real name: Corey Miller) at the Platinum Club in 2002 when 16-year-old Steve Thomas was killed -- claims he is responsible. Flowers is already serving a life sentence in a Georgia prison for homicide.

Prosecutors, however, said Flowers denied he and the C-Murder were involved in Thomas' killing.

C-Murder has already been charged with second-degree murder in the case. He was convicted in September 2003, but a judge gave him a new trial after finding that prosecutors did not share with the defense background information on three of their witnesses.

His new trial is scheduled to begin August 3rd. If convicted, C-Murder will be sentenced to life in prison.

C-Murder's legal team is looking to have Flowers transported from prison in Georgia to testify, saying his testimony is "relevant and he is a material witness."

A judge is currently reviewing Flowers' confession to decide its validity. If deemed necessary, the request to testify would be granted.

The rapper is currently behind bars on an unrelated second-degree murder, which he pleaded no contest to in exchange for a 10-year sentence. However, he is given credit for the time he has already served in jail and under house arrest, and could complete his sentence within months.

C-Murder's family has been very quiet in regard to his case. His famous brothers, Master P and Silkk The Shocker, have rarely spoken publicly about C-Murder's legal situation. Silkk recently spoke briefly about it.

"It's bad," he said in an interview. "I'm the youngest so I've seen it from all angles. I have a sister who taught me a lot. I have a successful older brother. I have a brother who was murdered. I have another brother who is extremely successful. I have a brother that is accused of a murder that we know he didn't do. I can't really speak on his situation for obvious reasons. There's just a lot of stuff going on in his situation with the government and the DA in Louisiana. I know for a fact he didn't do that crime. But because I've seen all these situations it influences me. I live and learn from these situations."