Snoop Dogg can finally put his 1993 murder charge behind him after having the records sealed earlier this year.
In late February, a court granted Snoop’s (real name Calvin Broadus) petition to have his 1993 arrest on murder charges officially sealed, TMZ reported. The motion came one month after the rapper filed to have the record sealed.
Ceasar McDowell and his nonprofit organization, Unite the People, assisted with the rapper’s legal strategy. The murder case gained widespread attention at the time, as Snoop’s arrest occurred just before his hit single “Murder Was the Case” started to rise in the charts.
In 1993, Snoop Dogg and his bodyguard faced accusations of killing a 20-year-old alleged gang member who had previously been involved in a confrontation with one of the rapper’s friends in Los Angeles. After a highly publicized trial, the rising music star was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter in February 1996.
“They made the right decision, you know what I’m saying?” Snoop said at the time. “This has been an ordeal that has affected our lives for the past 2 1/2 years. I was just trying to figure out if I was going to be here to raise my son.”
With the record now sealed, it will be concealed from public access, and in most cases, the defendant will receive their fingerprints, booking photos, and DNA samples back, according to the New York State Unified Court System.
Snoop skyrocketed into superstardom following the acquittal, with the rapper achieving platinum status and scoring his first No. 1 Billboard hit with “Drop It Like It’s Hot” in 2004. The “Gin and Juice” rapper also became a television personality, making appearances in ad campaigns for Corona beer and T-Mobile and even co-hosting a cooking show with Martha Stewart.
In April, he joined NBC’s talent competition, The Voice
, making his debut on the show in September. Over the summer, he made millions serving as an official correspondent for the Paris Olympics.Snoop was only about 22 years old around the time of his 1993 arrest. But fans have been lucky enough to watch his growth over the years.
P. Frank Williams, who covered Snoop Dogg’s murder trial for the Los Angeles Times and co-authored the book Chosen by Fate: My Life Inside Death Row Records with the rapper’s co-defendant McKinley Lee Jr., praised Snoop’s marketability during the Paris Olympics, reflecting on his evolution from a gangster rapper to a global brand.
“He worked hard and loves what he does,” Williams said. “Snoop has this likability and charm that you can’t buy.”
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