Fox Says 'Sorry' To L.A. Co. Sheriff For 'Erroneous' Depiction In 'Who Shot Biggie & Tupac?'

LOS ANGELES – Fox Broadcasting apologized Tuesday for mistakenly including a photo of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department commander in its prime-time special "Who Shot Biggie & Tupac?"

The sheriff's department on Monday demanded the apology, saying Fox incorrectly identified Cmdr. Steven D. Katz as a detective involved in the investigation of the death of famed East Coast rapper Christopher Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls, in the two-hour special that aired Sunday night.

Authorities said neither the department nor Katz had any involvement in Wallace's death investigation.

An investigator named Steven Katz was involved in the investigation, but he worked for the Los Angeles Police Department.

"In 'Who Shot Biggie & Tupac?' a photo of Los Angeles Sheriff Department Commander Steven D. Katz was mistakenly used in the program," according to a statement released by Fox. "Fox regrets the error and extends an apology to Commander Katz and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department."

Late Monday, the show's production company, Critical Content, issued an apology on its Facebook page.
"Critical Content apologizes to Commander Steve Katz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, whose photo was mistakenly included in last night's airing of 'Who Shot Biggie & Tupac?' He is not the Steven Katz of the Los Angeles Police Department mentioned in the program."

The sheriff's department issued a statement saying it appreciates "the quick actions and statements of apology issued by both Fox Broadcasting Co. and Critical Content."

Sheriff's officials said Monday the show defamed Katz "by repeatedly showing his photograph and expressing through graphics, an indication of `disgrace and outrage' into the handling of the case."

"The program also erroneously depicted the LASD as part of the investigation by showing our employee wearing his LASD name badge and standing in front of LASD logos, and indicating several times through graphics and statements, that he (Katz) was the 'lead investigator of (the) Biggie Murder,"' according to the department.

The sheriff's department also contended the show's hosts Soledad O'Brien and rapper/actor Ice-T made derogatory comments alleging that the investigator lied and concealed files while showing photos of Katz.

Wallace was fatally shot near the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard early on March 9, 1997. The killing was investigated by the LAPD.

Shakur was shot Sept. 7, 1996 in a drive-by shooting when the vehicle in which he was riding, along with Marion "Suge" Knight, was stopped at a red light at East Flamingo Road in Las Vegas. He died days later at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada.

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--City News Service contributed to this report/Image courtesy of LA Sheriff