Thursday, March 6, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Deputy District Attorney Lawrence M. Longo was reportedly terminated last month because he created the appearance of conflict of interest.
But he was notified that his termination has been postponed while investigators broaden a probe of his handling of the case, the Los Angeles Times said Wednesday.
Longo, a 26-year prosecutor, supervised Knight's probation for a 1992 assault. He was taken off the case in September after the district attorney's office received a tip that Knight had been living in a Malibu house owned by the Longo family.
The next month, the office launched a personnel investigation after learning that Longo's 18-year-old daughter, Gina, had signed a $50,000 record deal with Death Row on Jan. 2, 1996. She is the only white act on the label.
In 1995, Knight pleaded no contest to assaulting two aspiring rappers at a Hollywood studio three years earlier. He was granted probation under the plea bargain.
Probation was revoked in November for Knight's alleged role in an assault in Las Vegas that preceded the slaying of rapper Tupac Shakur. The attack was recorded by a hotel surveillance video camera.
Knight's lawyers raised questions two weeks ago about the plea agreement, contending prosecutors secured it by making false promises to Knight.
In addition, the district attorney's office reportedly told Longo investigators want to ask him questions about actions leading up to the plea bargain.
Longo has been on paid administrative leave.
The prosecutor, who is the target of a separate investigation by the state attorney general's office, has denied any wrongdoing.
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