DEATH ROW POLICE
DISTURB THE PEACE

"On June 2, 1996, the LAPD and Death Row Records representatives met to discuss dissatisfaction with armed security personnel, and the possibility of armed confrontations between police officers and security personnel or gang members. Issues regarding off-duty police officers employed by Death Row Records also were discussed. Prior to Wallace's death, the LAPD also discovered that Death Row Records employed Leslie Gaulden, an Inglewood School Police Officer. On October 23, 1996, Alwyn Gittens, a San Bernadino County sheriffs reserve officer working security for Death Row Records, disrupted an interview between the LAPD and Death Row Records employees. Based on the above occurrences, the LAPD knew or reasonably should have known that its off-duty police officers worked as security guards alongside suspected and convicted criminals for Death Row Records. In fact, the off-duty police officers accompanied gang members during drug deals and acted as their 'lookouts and advisors.' Moreover the off duty officers monitored police frequencies, assisted in choosing locations for drug transactions, and shared information regarding police tactics.”^[1]"Reggie is the go-between, between Suge and all kinds of crazy fuckin’ shit.”^[2]"In May 1996, Death Row Records was investigated for zoning violations associated with numerous violent crimes. Investigating officers reported, ‘There are armed security guards at this location in plain clothes and in security uniforms. These security officers are off-duty police officers ... employed by Death Row Records.'”^[3]

Suge laid out the plan, "Well, look, we can’t have our homies out here basically carrying guns, we want to legalize this. Let’s set up our own Death Row security set under another name.”^[4] It was a "set” just like Bloods and Crips create but it consisted of law enforcement personnel who had badges and guns and were paid to avert problems for those under the protection of Death Row Records. Suge Knight put up $300,000 to get the "set” created. It is unknown if there were gang ritual killings to gain membership in the "Set” but on Frank Alexander’s secret tape recordings we learn that Suge was covertly asking Frank Alexander to "take somebody out.”^[5]"There was a lot of guys that did shit on the side but they didn’t come around. All that shit was handled from outside.”^[6]

"There were times I would drive and I’d get out and it would just be Reggie and Suge in the middle of fuckin’ nowhere. And I know Reggie was, I mean, they shared the same drawers, a Mob Piru would get out of fuckin’ line and Reggie would sort it out.”^[7]

"Suge had them walking around scared. The security he hired was also used as ‘muscle’ around the studio. He had them smacking niggas up when they got out of line.”^[8]

The Death Row Police brought immediate results. Having guns and badges to deal with any and all situations was creating a layer of protection beyond expectations. Also, the tactical awareness was rubbing off on the non-cop security personnel. Having police scanners to monitor all frequencies was now incorporated into Death Row standard operating procedure. There were additional opportunities for side business as some of the cops had major cash flow needs beyond their cop salaries. How far would they go? That was a question to be asked on a case-by-case basis. But it didn’t appear that there were limitations with a handful of the guys. After all this was a "set” a "cop set” but everybody that was really in the game new what that meant. Having insiders at LAPD was also paying off. When evidence that could be used to convict Snoop Dogg needed to disappear from an LAPD evidence locker, the Death Row Police came through. Kevin Hackie recalls in a June 6, 2000 interview that in February Reggie Wright Jr. when talking about Snoop Dogg’s murder case "stated that evidence related to that case came up missing from LAPD property room.” He would only know this if he was somehow responsible for the evidence going missing. "The evidence in Snoop’s murder trial came up missing from an LAPD property room. That is why Snoop was acquitted.”^[9]Sharitha’s boyfriend was certainly the most likely suspect in that crime along with his good friends Rafael Perez and David Mack. Having an LAPD boyfriend did have certain side benefits. Snoop’s album "Murder is the Case” poked fun at the prosecutors who worked hard to send him away for life but came up short. At a hearing in Snoop Dogg’s murder trial it is disclosed that key evidence is missing from the LAPD evidence locker. "Defense attorneys have maintained that the lost 9-millimeter casings might have been useful to match bullets found in Woldemariam's body. They also said the bloody shirt was crucial in determining if the victim was shot at close range or might have been twisting when he was shot. Defense attorneys contend that Woldemariam was reaching into his waistband for a gun when he was shot.”^[10]

The trial run of the new "Death Row Police” debuted during the beating of Kelly Jamerson at the El Rey Theater. That night a sign above the theater read ‘Death Row Private Party Guest List Only.’^[11] "On March 13, 1995, a gang member was murdered at a Death Row Records event held at the El Rey Theater. The police report states, ‘Many of the security people at the party were off-duty police officers, from ... [the] LAPD, all working for Wrightway Security. The victim was beaten by numerous Blood gang members while the off-duty police officers watched.’”^[12]

"The victim was beaten to death at the theater. Many of the security people at the party were off duty police officers, from Long Beach P.D., Compton P.D., Inglewood P.D., Hawthorne P.D., and LAPD, all working for Wrightway Security. The victom was beaten by numerous Blood gang members while the off duty police officers watched. When the police arrived the off duty officers left the scene without giving a statement.”^[13] There were numerous officers actually present at the beating. "Officers S. Meade #30401 and his partner C. Canales #30214 observed the beating as it continued in the west portion of the lobby. The officers had been monitoring the party after an earlier '415 Fight' radio call at the location (Incident #5072005053).”^[14]In spite of witnessing the event they are never referenced as witnesses in the report. The anonymous callers all put DJ Quik in the frame for the murder.

Curious timing! "It was significant," he said, when asked about the Death Row era. "I (DJ Quik) think at that point Suge was just -- He became real powerful from Interscope ... Suge wanted to look out for all the artists he felt weren't getting taken care of in the industry. So, that's why we all gravitated towards him. At that point I was going through it with (record label) Profile. Profile had this thing where (when) they didn't want to pay you, they put you on suspension. 'My artist is on suspension.' So, I stayed on suspension because they didn't want to pay me. It was just weird, so Suge stepped in. Became my manager."^[15]

Was the El Rey Murder of Kelly Jamerson nothing more than a negotiation with DJ Quick? The investigation also puts Suge’s best friends "Buntry” and "Jake” in the cross-hairs. But Death Row Damage control had worked. No charges were ever filed and the case was cleared by homicide investigators. The "Death Row Police” had every reason to grow bold.

MC Eiht recalls the incident, "‘We fin to just start a ruckus.’ And it was only three of them, and there was a whole club full of cats [from other gangs]. But, that’s how they felt: ‘Us three fin’ to go up in here with this sea of Quik’s people and Bloods and other factions and we fin to go stand our ground and let ‘em know we from Tragniew Park and this is how it’s gonna go down.’”^[16]

Suge Knight grew bold. He grew ferocious. His lion mane was just beginning to show and he was untouchable. "At the party following Snoop’s acquittal, Suge noticed that four of the jurors had shown up: They sipped champagne, gorged themselves on steak and lobster, and mingled with the label’s acts and associates. Tupac Shakur celebrated the fact that All Eyez on Me had debuted at No. 1. Suge told his lackeys he was renaming the company: From then on, it would be known as the New and Untouchable Death Row.”^[17]

Simone Green tells of being beaten by Suge Knight and his henchmen. She tried to call the police from the parking lot but they didn’t come. "Someone from the hospital also called the police, but they never came. This was the second attempt to file a police report and it too went unanswered. It was beginning to feel like an instant cover up.”^[18]

"On December 18, 1995, following the MTV Awards, Death Row Records members seeking Bad Boy Records' Combs reportedly assaulted an individual named Mark Anthony Bell. Two off-duty police officers were present during the assault of Mr. Bell.”^[19]

In the end, LAPD cops participated in murders, an armed bank robbery, home invasions, and theft from LAPD evidence lockers that all became known as the Rampart Scandal. All of those crimes trace back through the halls of Death Row Records. Reggie brought Suge Knight’s dream of a law enforcement "Set” to fruition. Reggie Wright Jr. was Suge Knight’s biggest blind spot – his childhood friend – that could kill him and replace him^[20]or at least that was the theory. For Reggie to have ultimate success Suge Knight would have to personally install the fox into the henhouse and that would require a severe amount of trust. Tupac’s murder was the beginning of the integration of gangs working together with law enforcement. The tactics behind the murder were executed flawlessly. There were spotters and radios. They selected a prime location on the edge of traffic.

Nobody could match his muscle in the music industry. None of Suge’s enemies could take him down. He was making hundreds of millions of dollars and that gave him power – respect – and most of all prestige. He was known in the best restaurants around the world as well as the best hotels, automobile dealerships, and inside of music. He was now becoming a superstar celebrity without an equal.

But all of that money had attracted some unwanted attention. Jerry Heller and Eazy-E got a percentage off of the top as a settlement to a lawsuit. Also, Suge had concluded his business with Dick Griffey and Michael Harris but they were both looking for Suge to share a taste of his cash flow. They plotted but they had no access. Suge had also been rattling Sean Puffy Combs cage but he too was powerless to do anything about Suge’s attacks. Insiders would bring Suge down.