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Suge Knight pleads no contest to voluntary manslaughter, gets 28 years

By | Published on Friday 21 September 2018

Suge Knight

Suge Knight has pleaded ‘no contest’ to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in relation to the 2015 incident in which the one time hip hop mogul ran over and killed another man.

The fatal hit and run incident occurred outside a burger bar in LA near where a trailer was being filmed for the NWA biopic ‘Straight Outta Compton’. Knight seemingly had an initial run in with one the men he subsequently drove his vehicle into – Cle Sloan – on the film set, after he showed up there reportedly to complain about his portrayal in the movie.

The altercation subsequently moved to the burger bar, with Sloan joined by another man called Terry Carter. It was Carter who was killed when Knight ultimately drove his vehicle into the two men.

Knight faced murder charges, which he has been fighting ever since in a suitably dramatic fashion, working his way through a legion of lawyers as he went. Along the way two of those lawyers were charged over allegations of misconduct.

Those dramas have resulted in various delays in the case, though jury selection was scheduled to begin this month. But before that could happen Knight’s people reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

Under that deal, the murder charge – which could have resulted in a life sentence – has been dropped. Instead Knight has pleaded no contest – which is basically a guilty plea – to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Although that will also result in a lengthy prison sentence of 22 years, with another six because of the three-strike rule. He will be formally sentenced on 4 Oct.

Carter’s daughter Crystal was in court as Knight delivered his no contest plea. Outside the court she told reporters: “I’m surprised he pleaded out. Normally he likes the cameras to be on him 24/7”.



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