And so one on the longest sagas in hip hop continues. The family of the late Notorious BIG, real name Christopher Wallace, was awarded more than a million dollars by a federal court judge last week over those allegations that LA authorities deliberately buggered up investigations into the late rapper's murder. US District judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered on Friday that a compensation payment of $1.1m be made by the City Of Los Angeles for intentionally withholding evidence during the Wallace family's previously reported civil trial that unsuccessfully endeavoured to get to the bottom of Biggie's killing, and allegations of a police cover up.
As previously reported, last year Judge Cooper declared a mistrial in that civil lawsuit when it was discovered that detectives had hidden statements linking the killing to former LAPD officers David Mack and Rafael Perez. The Wallace family had been trying to show that Mack, a previously convicted bank robber, had organised the killing on behalf of Death Row Records chief Marion 'Suge' Knight. Lawyers for the city, of course, claim that the officer alleged to have concealed the evidence, Steven Katz, acted inadvertently in not revealing the information, which could have strengthened the Wallace family's claims. A retrial is planned for later in the year.
Cooper has also left open the possibility of an extra payment of $300k, and has ordered the city to pay Biggie's family's legal costs. Their attorney, Perry Sanders said: "It's pretty clear from the ruling that the judge understands this is a significant and difficult case."
A spokesman for City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo meanwhile said: "We were disappointed with the order. We believe the officer's conduct was inadvertent, and we will prevail at trial on the merits of the case."