Death Row records co-founder Suge Knight has been sentenced to 28 years in prison following a hit-and-run incident in 2015.
The former hip-hop titan, 53, was formally sentenced today (October 4) after pleading “no contest” to a manslaughter charge last month just days before his trial was due to begin.
Knight was accused of running over two men in Compton, Los Angeles after a confrontation on the set of acclaimed NWA biopic Straight Outta’ Comptonin January 2015.
Marion “Suge” Knight
He had originally faced one count of murder for the death of Terry Carter and one count of attempted murder relating to Cle “Bone” Sloan, who was injured after Knight hit the pair with his truck.
Sentenced to 28 years for killing Carter and injuring Sloan, Knight was referred to as “a piece of shit” by Carter’s daughter after the family read out a statement in court.
Footage of the incident showed Knight driving a truck that pulls into the entrance of a Compton restaurant near the set where the movie was filmed.
He is seen being approached by Sloan, a security guard – with the men appearing to talk for several moments. The vehicle is then seen dramatically backing up, knocking Sloan to the ground.
Knight then appears to reverse, before driving forward once more and knocking Sloan down a second time. He also hits Carter, who later died in hospital.
Suge Knight
Knight surrendered himself to authorities a day later, and claimed that he was acting in self defence as he fled armed attackers.
He initially founded Death Row records with NWA’s Dr Dre in 1991, but later declared bankruptcy and the label was sold at auction for $24m. His checkered legal history includes two previous jail stints in 1997 and 2003.