Death Row co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight is talking about the bankruptcy protection filings he made Tuesday to protect the rap label in a multi-million civil court judgment.
Former couple Lydia and Michael Harris, who claim they provided $1.5 million in seed money to help launch Death Row, is attempting to collect a $107 million judgment from Knight. Suge said the bankruptcy filing was done as a means of "setting a new table."
"For the last few years there's been a stigma attached to Death Row," Suge said in a statement released by spokesman Jonathan Wolfson. "People like the Harrises have been coming out of the woodwork and it's been like a dark cloud hanging over me. I've decided that I'm serving Death Row its last meal. I'm setting a new table."
Wolfson said Knight’s "last meal" phrase is not code for plans to shut down the label, which has included such artists as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur.
Knight also said his attorneys plan to bring a motion claiming violation of bankruptcy law by the Harrises and their attorneys, who on Tuesday unsuccessfully tried to persuade Superior Court Judge Ronald Sohigian to cite Knight for criminal contempt for not appearing at debtor hearings.
Rex Beaber, the attorney for incarcerated former drug dealer Michael Harris, said he received a letter from Knight's attorneys demanding that he and Lydia Harris' attorney pay $4,500 in lawyer fees by April 10 or the motion would be filed, reports the Associated Press. Beaber said that generally the mere filing of a federal bankruptcy petition automatically stays all state court proceedings against a debtor and a violator can be sanctioned. But he said there is an exception for criminal prosecutions, and the judge found that the contempt claim was an application for a criminal complaint.
According to AP, Knight and the record company each claimed debts of more than $100 million in their bankruptcy protection filings. Sohigian had previously ordered that Death Row be put into receivership but stayed implementation pending Tuesday's hearing. Then the bankruptcy filings halted any Superior Court actions involving receivership.
Lydia Harris was previously awarded the $107 million on her claim of helping found the label. Michael Harris, currently serving a 28-year sentence at San Quentin Prison, is claiming half the money as community property in his divorce from Lydia Harris. He claims he put up $1.5 million from behind bars to help start the company.
Former couple Lydia and Michael Harris, who claim they provided $1.5 million in seed money to help launch Death Row, is attempting to collect a $107 million judgment from Knight. Suge said the bankruptcy filing was done as a means of "setting a new table."
"For the last few years there's been a stigma attached to Death Row," Suge said in a statement released by spokesman Jonathan Wolfson. "People like the Harrises have been coming out of the woodwork and it's been like a dark cloud hanging over me. I've decided that I'm serving Death Row its last meal. I'm setting a new table."
Wolfson said Knight’s "last meal" phrase is not code for plans to shut down the label, which has included such artists as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur.
Knight also said his attorneys plan to bring a motion claiming violation of bankruptcy law by the Harrises and their attorneys, who on Tuesday unsuccessfully tried to persuade Superior Court Judge Ronald Sohigian to cite Knight for criminal contempt for not appearing at debtor hearings.
Rex Beaber, the attorney for incarcerated former drug dealer Michael Harris, said he received a letter from Knight's attorneys demanding that he and Lydia Harris' attorney pay $4,500 in lawyer fees by April 10 or the motion would be filed, reports the Associated Press. Beaber said that generally the mere filing of a federal bankruptcy petition automatically stays all state court proceedings against a debtor and a violator can be sanctioned. But he said there is an exception for criminal prosecutions, and the judge found that the contempt claim was an application for a criminal complaint.
According to AP, Knight and the record company each claimed debts of more than $100 million in their bankruptcy protection filings. Sohigian had previously ordered that Death Row be put into receivership but stayed implementation pending Tuesday's hearing. Then the bankruptcy filings halted any Superior Court actions involving receivership.
Lydia Harris was previously awarded the $107 million on her claim of helping found the label. Michael Harris, currently serving a 28-year sentence at San Quentin Prison, is claiming half the money as community property in his divorce from Lydia Harris. He claims he put up $1.5 million from behind bars to help start the company.
