LOS ANGELES (AP) - A reputed gang member investigated for the
shooting death of Tupac Shakur has filed a lawsuit against the
slain rapper's estate alleging he was assaulted just hours before
the shooting.
Orlando Anderson claims in his lawsuit that he suffered physical
injuries and severe emotional and mental distress after a brawl
with Shakur and Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight
outside the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.
A few hours after the fight Sept. 7, 1996, which was captured by
a hotel security camera, someone fired on the car carrying Shakur
and Knight. Shakur died a week later at the hospital. No arrests
have been made in Shakur's death.
Anderson's lawyer, Renee L. Campbell, said authorities told her
client he was a suspect in Shakur's death, but he denies being
involved in the shooting.
"It is clear that if there is any victim, my client is the
victim," Campbell said.
Richard Fischbein, co-executor of the Shakur estate's, was
baffled by the lawsuit, which was filed late Monday.
"Only in California can a perjurer, and he is a perjurer, and
an alleged suspect in a murder investigation start a lawsuit
against the person that he allegedly killed," said Fischbein,
reached late Tuesday at his home in New York.
Death Row lawyer David Kenner did not immediately return a phone
message seeking comment Tuesday night.
Knight is serving a nine year sentence for violating probation.
That violation was the brawl outside the MGM Hotel. At Knight's
probation hearing in November, Anderson said Knight was actually
trying to break up the fight.
When asked whether Anderson, had perjured himself on the stand
at the hearing, Campbell said her client "testified the way he did
out of fear for his safety."
In October, Anderson, who police say is a member of the Crips,
was briefly held on an outstanding warrant for a death in Compton
that was unrelated to Shakur's murder. No charges were filed
against Anderson in that case.
Several other lawsuits have been filed against Shakur's estate
and his parents are currently in probate court battling for a stake
in it.
Las Vegas Sun
September 10, 1997
Former Shakur murder suspect files suit against rapper's estate