The Los Angeles Police Department has apologized to the family of rapper Notorious B.I.G. for the "'premature" release of the slain rapper's autopsy report.

The family had criticized the police for releasing the report without telling them first.

Police said they have since talked to the family of the rapper, whose real name was Christopher George Latore Wallace.

"Our detectives personally spoke with the Wallace family [Friday] night, and apologized for not notifying them prior to the release," said Capt. Billy Hayes, who heads  the Robbery-Homicide Division, which is investigating the killing. "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." 

The LAPD opted to release the autopsy "as an investigative tool, in the hopes that releasing the report would stimulate additional interest or bring forth witnesses or clues in the case." Wallace was shot four times in March 1997 in a drive-by attack on Wilshire Boulevard. The case remains unsolved.

Read the full Los Angeles Times story.

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