Prosecution Ends Rebuttal in Snoop Doggy Dogg Trial

The prosecution in the murder trial of rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg completed its rebuttal case Wednesday, setting the stage for the conclusion of the two-month trial.

Closing arguments are scheduled to start Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, and his bodyguard, McKinley Lee, have both been charged with murder in connection with the August 1993 shooting death of Philip Woldemariam.

Prosecutors say they believe that Woldemariam was killed after he tried to run from a confrontation with Broadus and Lee at a Palms park in August 1993. The defense, however, says Lee shot Woldemariam in self-defense after Woldemariam drew a gun. Confident that the prosecution had failed to prove its case, the defense rested Tuesday after calling one witness.

“If there ever has been a case which has been deficient on the basis of the People’s own witnesses, this is the case,” said defense attorney David Kenner. “To imagine that the People in good faith believe . . . that the evidence raises to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is astonishing, at best.”