LAPD Apologizes to Notorious B.I.G.'s Family for Releasing Autopsy Before Informing Them

Los Angeles Robbery-Homicide Division cops reached out to the family after they unsealed the report Friday

By Brandi Fowler Dec 09, 2012 6:20 PMTags
Notorious B.I.GJane Caine/ZUMA Press

Detectives at the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division are trying to make amends with Christopher Wallace (aka Notorious B.I.G's) family for releasing his autopsy report prior to notifying them.

Calling the "premature" autopsy release an "administrative error" in a statement, the LAPD said detectives in the division intended to notify his family before releasing the report. 

"Our detectives personally spoke with the Wallace family last night, and apologized for not notifying them prior to the release" Commanding Officer of Robbery-Homicide Division Captain Billy Hayes said. "Obviously this has been a challenging case for us to solve.  We hope that witnesses or other people with information will come forward and give us the clues we need to solve this case."

Detectives said they hoped the release of the report would "stimulate additional interest or bring forth witnesses or clues in the case," which is still under active investigation.

The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner made the 23-page, gruesome autopsy report public Friday, which detailed how the "Hypnotize" rapper died, after the LAPD approved its release.

The LAPD released no new information about the hip hop legend's death, however, which didn't sit well with Biggie's family.

"What legitimate lead could be stimulated by releasing an autopsy that says 'Mr. Wallace was shot,'  when everyone knows that? Why don't they release some of the clues they have?" Perry Sanders Jr., an attorney for the Wallace family, told the Los Angeles Times

"The family has been advised by the ex lead detective that the case has been solved for several years," Sanders also told E! News in a statement. "If that is true, the family wants to know why an arrest has not been made."

Wallace was gunned down while leaving a music industry event outside the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997.