Biggie murder investigation revived
Nine years after the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. in Los Angeles, city officials have assigned a new team of police detectives to the case. "They are investigating it, following up on the leads," assistant city attorney Don Vincent told the Los Angeles city council's public safety committee Thursday. Biggie was shot and killed March 9, 1997, outside the Petersen Automotive Museum, where a Soul Train Awards afterparty was being hosted by Vibe magazine. A mistrial in a federal lawsuit by Biggie's family led to a $1.1 million fine for the city in January. A judge ruled that police intentionally hid statements that linked the killing to two LAPD officers. Vincent told council members Thursday that there was no evidence police were involved, but a retrial is expected by the end of the year. In other B.I.G. news, a judge halted sales of Ready to Die on Friday after a jury found that the title track illegally used an Ohio Players sample. Two record companies were awarded $4.2 million in damages because it believed Sean "Puffy" Combs -- now known as Diddy -- used part of the Players' 1992 song "Singing in the Morning" without permission. U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell ruled that Biggie's 1994 debut and the song of the same name cannot be sold in any format, including online downloads. Latest news...
Nine years after the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. in Los Angeles, city officials have assigned a new team of police detectives to the case. "They are investigating it, following up on the leads," assistant city attorney Don Vincent told the Los Angeles city council's public safety committee Thursday. Biggie was shot and killed March 9, 1997, outside the Petersen Automotive Museum, where a Soul Train Awards afterparty was being hosted by Vibe magazine. A mistrial in a federal lawsuit by Biggie's family led to a $1.1 million fine for the city in January. A judge ruled that police intentionally hid statements that linked the killing to two LAPD officers. Vincent told council members Thursday that there was no evidence police were involved, but a retrial is expected by the end of the year. In other B.I.G. news, a judge halted sales of Ready to Die on Friday after a jury found that the title track illegally used an Ohio Players sample. Two record companies were awarded $4.2 million in damages because it believed Sean "Puffy" Combs -- now known as Diddy -- used part of the Players' 1992 song "Singing in the Morning" without permission. U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell ruled that Biggie's 1994 debut and the song of the same name cannot be sold in any format, including online downloads.