Murder Was The Case

The wrongful death case brought against the City of Los Angeles by the family of Christopher Wallace (Biggie Smalls) began yesterday with jury selection and opening statements but it is looking less and less likely that any sense of what really happened will come out of the case. Many of the witnesses key to the family's case are now claiming amnesia, hearsay and other problems that undermine their testimony. The family's lawyers say that fear of payback is causing their witnesses to clam up.

The case is built on the theory set forth by former detective Russell Poole who believed that a LAPD officer, David Mack, organized the murder on behalf of Suge Knight. Mack is no longer a defendant in the suit and neither is Knight. Unrelated but notable, Mack is currently serving time for another crime while Suge is signing DVD deals. Poole's theory about the case was covered in great detail in documentarian Nick Broomfield's Biggie & Tupac as well as a book covering his investigative work.

Witnesses with amnesia? Defendants already in jail for other crimes? A murder seen by dozens of witnesses but no case to be made? We'll always love B.I.G. Poppa but damn if this isn't the stuff of a great gangster flick/courtroom drama.