Starz has begun development on the miniseries A Moment In Time: Murder Was The Case from 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg. The series will explore Snoop Dogg’s rise to fame and the 1993 murder trial which propelled it.
In 1993, Snoop Dogg aka Calvin Broadus, was charged with first degree murder for the shooting of Philip Woldermariam, an alleged member of a rival gang. Snoop’s trial was happening during the release of his debut album, Doggy Style, which also features the widely popular single “Murder was the Case.”
The publicity of the case boosted sales, but the violent nature of “Murder Was The Case” would go on to hurt Snoop’s case in his trial.
Though Woldermariam was killed by Snoop’s bodyguard, McKinley Lee, Snoop and his defense team (led defense attorney Johnnie Cochran—who repped OJ Simpson just the year before) claimed that Lee acted in self-defense. Nonetheless, Snoop and Lee were both still charged with the murder.
Snoop was ultimately acquitted in 1996.
“Murder Was The Case is an incredible story. Snoop had the biggest album in the country and was fighting for his freedom in the courtroom,” 50 Cent says. “I’m excited to be working with Snoop to bring it to television.”
Snoop Dogg adds, “I am excited to finally tell the story of Murder Was The Case. This was a pivotal moment in my life and career and I’ve deliberately waited until I found the right partner to bring this to the screen.”
The show is still on the hunt for a writer. The miniseries will be featured as the second installment of the A Moment In Time anthology series. The series explores when iconic hip hop moments collide with the sensational and sometimes criminal events behind-the-scenes.