Lawrence man on parole for killing of hip-hop artist is charged with aggravated sexual battery

photo by: Kansas Department of Corrections

Major C. Edwards

A Lawrence man who is on parole after having served more than a decade in prison for a 2006 fatal shooting was charged Monday in Douglas County District Court with aggravated sexual battery.

The man, Major Cornelious Edwards Jr., 43, was convicted in 2010 of voluntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of Lawrence hip-hop artist Anthony “Clacc” Vital, 28, on Oct. 14, 2006.

Edwards was sentenced to 168 months, or 14 years, in prison after spending four years in the Douglas County Jail and testifying in a trial against co-defendant Durrell Jones, 38, of Kansas City, Kansas. The trial for Jones ended in a mistrial, but not before Edwards had entered into a plea agreement with the state for a reduced sentence. Edwards testified at trial that Jones had shot Vital in an effort to collect a drug debt, but Edwards said he had led Jones to Vital.

photo by: Mike Yoder/Journal-World Photo

Durrell Jones enters a Douglas County courtroom on March 8, 2011, before opening statements in his trial.

On Monday, Edwards appeared in Douglas County District Court to face one felony count of aggravated sexual battery, according to the charging document. The incident allegedly involved a 19-year-old victim and occurred on June 10. Edwards was arrested on the charge around 2 a.m. Saturday in the 1400 block of Seventh Street in Lawrence.

Judge Blake Glover appointed defense attorney Cooper Overstreet to represent Edwards, and Glover upheld a $75,000 bond that had been set by a previous judge in the case. Edwards is next scheduled to appear in court on July 11.

According to Kansas Department of Corrections records, Edwards was released to parole in June of 2022. He has additional felony convictions for drug distribution in 2001 and battery on a corrections officer in 2015.

More coverage: Major C. Edwards

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• December 25, 2011: 5 years later, murder case may get some resolution

• October 12, 2011: Judge: Prosecutors must honor agreement with man convicted in shooting death of hip-hop artist Anthony Vital

• August 22, 2011: Douglas County prosecutors seek to withdraw plea agreement with man convicted in Vital death

• August 2, 2011: Prosecutors will not seek second trial against Durrell Jones in Anthony Vital slaying, citing credibility problem with key witness

• August 1, 2011: Durrell Jones facing second trial in death of hip-hop artist Anthony Vital

• July 18, 2011: Judge denies request to withdraw plea in 2006 shooting death of hip-hop artist

• July 13, 2011: Former Wyandotte County judge to hear Lawrence man’s request to withdraw guilty plea to murder

• May 27, 2011: Lawrence man wants guilty plea withdrawn in 2006 murder of hip-hop artist Anthony ‘Clacc’ Vital

• March 16, 2011: Judge declares mistrial in Durrell Jones first-degree murder trial

• March 14, 2011: Deliberations will enter third day in Durrell Jones murder trial

• March 11, 2011: Jurors in Lawrence area murder trial to resume work Monday morning

• March 9, 2011: Co-defendant gives testimony in murder of Lawrence hip-hop artist Anthony Vital

• March 8, 2011: Stories conflict in opening statements in Lawrence hip-hop artist murder trial

• March 8, 2011: Jury selected for murder trial

• March 7, 2011: First-degree murder trial for death of Lawrence hip-hop artist Anthony ‘Clacc’ Vital to open today

• March 19, 2010: Lawrence man pleads guilty in 2006 shooting death of hip-hop artist

• December 12, 2008: Two men ordered to stand trial on murder charges

• November 22, 2008: Witness: Defendant admitted homicide

• May 24, 2008: Men charged with killing musician appear in court

• May 23, 2008: Suspect in musician’s killing to appear in court

• March 12, 2008: Suspects linked by drugs, law troubles

• March 12, 2008: 2 charged in shooting death

• March 11, 2008: Two men charged in hip-hop artist’s murder

• October 14, 2007: A year later, hip-hop artist’s death still unsolved

• February 21, 2007: Murder investigation leads to weapons plea

• January 10, 2007: Suspect’s mental health cited in trial delay request

• January 9, 2007: Jury selection begins in gun violation trial

• January 9, 2007: Mental-health troubles cited in request to postpone gun trial

• December 12, 2006: Charges follow shooting probe

• December 11, 2006: Dead rapper’s associates charged – but not with murder

• November 10, 2006: Wanted man charged with gun violations

• November 9, 2006: ‘Person of interest’ in shooting death faces six gun charges

• October 23, 2006: Arrest made; slaying details emerge

• October 18, 2006: Investigators seek ‘useful’ source after homicide