Cops apologise to Notorious B.I.G's family

10 December 2012 - 02:01 By Sapa-AFP
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Notorious B.I.G. File photo
Notorious B.I.G. File photo
Image: Facebook

THE Los Angeles police department apologised on Saturday to the family of rapper Notorious B.I.G, murdered 15 years ago, after releasing his autopsy report without informing them first.

The police department made the report public on Friday.

Notorious B.I.G was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles in 1997 that remains controversially unsolved, and police hoped the findings would help bring new information to light.

Police said "an administrative error" had led to the report being released before it told the family of the rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wallace.

"Detectives had intended to notify Wallace's family prior to releasing the report," Captain Billy Hayes said.

"Our detectives spoke to the Wallace family [on Friday] night, and apologised for not notifying them," he said.

The 24-year-old rapper - killed months after the death of rival rapper Tupac Shakur - was hit by four bullets, though only one killed him, passing through his heart and other organs, the LA County Coroner's report said.

No drugs or alcohol were found in his system, according to toxicology tests.

He weighed 179kg and had a tattoo on an inside forearm saying: "The Lord is My Light and My Salvation."

A lawyer for the family blasted the police, lamenting that no arrests have been made 15 years after Wallace was killed. -

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