Personal Injury Law

Notorious B.I.G. Wrongful Death Lawsuit Dismissed

By Michael

A federal wrongful death lawsuit filed eight years ago in relation to the fatal shooting of New York City rapper Notorious B.I.G. was recently dismissed.

The suit targeted the city of Los Angeles, and further legal action in the rapper?s death is likely, according to the Associated Press. A lawyer working for the estate of Christopher Wallace, the rapper?s real name, said in April that dismissing the wrongful death lawsuit could allow investigators to make arrests in connection to Biggie’s shooting death.

Attorneys for both Wallace?s estate and the city of Los Angeles agreed that the suit could be filed again at a later time. The personal injury lawsuit makes claims that officers from the Los Angeles Police Department played in a role in the rapper?s death, according to AP.

Wallace, who also was known as Biggie Smalls, was 24 years old and at the early part of a burgeoning career as a rapper when he was shot several times while leaving a Los Angeles party.

Frank Mateljan, spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney?s office, confirmed that the lawsuit was dismissed, and that the police continue to investigate the death.

In 2005, three years after the original lawsuit was filed, a federal judge declared a mistrial after lawyers working for Wallace?s family discovered the city withheld several documents from the LAPD. The city was ordered to pay $1 million in fines for doing so.

Attorney Bradley C. Gage, who is representing Wallace?s family in the lawsuit, said local and federal law enforcement are still preventing him from accessing some records.

Gage further said that dismissing the suit will allow law enforcement time to investigate the shooting without also worrying about legal ramifications related to treatment of the case. Gage also said this method will ensure that blame isn?t placed on someone who may be proven innocent later, according to AP.

Gage believes it could be about two or three years before the wrongful death lawsuit is refilled, but it ultimately depends on the investigation.

While he would not offer specifics, Gage said that after years of working on the case the he has strong suspicions about who is responsible for Wallace?s death.

?I believe our civil lawsuit was going on the right path,? Gage said.

The lawsuit named Death Row Records founder Marion ?Suge? Knight as a defendant, and claims that he ordered Wallace?s shooting. The suit also names former LAPD officers, several of whom were the focus of police corruption scandal within the department?s Rampart division, according to AP.

Full post as published by The Injury Blog on May 18, 2010 (boomark / email).