Notorious L.A.P.D. slapped

Remember when a Los Angeles police detective got caught withholding evidence about some rogue officers' possible role in the murder of Notorious B.I.G.? On Friday a federal judge ordered the city to pay $1.1 million in attorney fees and costs to his family. In addition to the penalty, there will now be a retrial on whether the city is also liable for damages in Biggy's 1997 shooting outside the Petersen Automotive Museum.

"It's pretty clear from the ruling that the judge understands this is a significant and difficult case," said Perry Sanders, an attorney for the rapper's family who is preparing for a retrial. "It seems like everything she did was measured, and we think what she did was appropriate."

"We were disappointed with the order," said Jonathan Diamond, press spokesman for City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo, whose office defended the case. "We believe the officer's conduct was inadvertent, and we will prevail at trial on the merits of the case."

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Police Chief William J. Bratton, in a prepared statement, said that...he ordered "a comprehensive and thorough review" of the Wallace investigation and related documents. He also said he had instituted better tracking procedures for case files. "The failure to turn over some documents does not equal a deliberate cover-up by the LAPD," the statement said.