City of Lies

In 2015, Darius 'Jack' Jackson is assigned to cover the Notorious B.I.G. murder and travels to speak with the retired LAPD detective Russell Poole. Poole begins to share his controversial theory that Suge Knight paid corrupt officers to murder Wallace and cover it up. The meeting sets up a decades-spanning investigative thread that blends present-day journalism with past revelations.

During flashbacks, Poole elaborates on his belief that Knight orchestrated the killing with the help of corrupt cops. He argues the case was tainted by politics, media sensationalism, and racial tensions in Los Angeles. These claims frame the entire investigation and fuel Jackson's pursuit of the truth.

In 1997, Poole investigates the shooting of off-duty Black LAPD officer Kevin Gaines by white detective Frank Lyga. The case unfolds amid a citywide climate shaped by the Rodney King beating and the O.J. Simpson trial. Pressure from upper management to manage the narrative intensifies the stakes for Poole.

Poole discovers Gaines was on Knight's payroll and had Bloods gang ties. His superior, Lieutenant O'Shea, refuses to credit this theory and orders the Gaines-Lyga case closed. The clash highlights the LAPD's resistance to exposing a possible conspiracy within its ranks.

Following the Knight-Gaines connection, Poole is transferred to the Robbery-Homicide Division to reopen the Wallace murder inquiry. The Wallace case becomes Poole's new battleground as he challenges the department's official line.

Poole and his partner Fred Miller compile suspects linked to Knight's LAPD network, including David Mack, Amir Muhammad, and Wardell Fouse. Mack had security ties to Wallace and was recently linked to a bank robbery, making him a central yet guarded lead.

David Mack is arrested but refuses to divulge information about Wallace's death. Poole continues pressing for cooperation while higher authorities grow wary of the investigation. The case becomes increasingly entangled in internal politics.

Poole begins tracking Rafael Pérez after learning he stole cocaine from the evidence room. He tails Pérez and witnesses him shoot a drug dealer, prompting Poole to intervene by shooting Pérez in self-defense. Pérez's criminal charges implicate himself and other officers in broader misconduct.

After Pérez's exposure, Poole is granted his own task force and prepares to testify in Lyga's civil trial to connect Mack to Wallace's death. He aims to reveal the department's cover-up, but the city settles the Lyga case before any trial. The outcome deprives Poole of formal vindication.

Lyga is unable to clear his name, and Poole is shunned by the LAPD for his accusations. The department distances itself from his findings, deepening Poole's sense of isolation and betrayal.

Voletta Wallace files a wrongful death claim against Los Angeles; Mack and Amir Muhammad are named as defendants but are dropped shortly before trial after the LAPD and FBI dismiss them as suspects. The legal process adds another layer of tension to the ongoing pursuit of truth.

Poole resigns from the LAPD one month before he would have reached pension eligibility, a decision that costs him his family and his standing within the department. The resignation marks a personal downfall despite his persistent efforts.

Years after Wallace's murder, Jackson and Voletta Wallace meet Poole and form a growing friendship. Jackson apologizes for writing an earlier Tupac-related article implicating Wallace, and Voletta thanks Poole for his sacrifices.

Poole informs Jackson that Wallace's earning potential could be about $1 billion and that a civil suit could bankrupt the city. The remark underscores the enormous stakes tied to Wallace's legacy and the LAPD's exposure.

Poole suffers a heart attack while attempting to reopen his Wallace inquiry and dies soon after. Using the information he gathered, Jackson writes a memorial article praising Poole as a forgotten hero; the piece is acclaimed, but Jackson soon resigns from his job.