Suge Knight testifies for the first time about the 2015 incident that led him to serve 28 years behind bars.
In 2015, Knight allegedly was on the way to meet with Dr. Dre when a deadly incident happened. Knight was initially charged with murder for running over two men with his truck and killing one businessman Terry Carter. Prosecutors claim Knight reversed his truck before shifting gears, hitting the gas, and mowing down Carter. Knight accepted a plea deal and was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in September 2018.
On Wednesday, Knight finally gave his king-awaited defense in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Carter’s wife and daughters. Despite saying that police told him Dre was responsible for him being shot at a pre-VMA party, Knight says he wasn’t seeking confrontation from Dre when he arrived at the “Straight Outta Compton” set.
When asked about the murder-for-hire contract, Knight says, “I was told about that. People showed me checks, canceled checks.”
Knight added that he ended up at the movie’s production office before Carter’s death because an unidentified person told him to “come through” to discuss a “situation” with Dre.
“We’ve been really good friends for years. Matter of fact, I know his kids; he knows my kids. And I was told that he had paid some guys to harm me,” he testified. “I didn’t believe it because authorities do lie. So I went up there…I was going to talk to him and say, ‘Hey man, I’m not going to react to what authorities say about you having something to do with me getting shot. I just want to make you aware they are saying this, putting it out there.’”
Knight also says he got a call from Carter about having a special meeting with Dre. He says he agreed to meet and headed to the location. Knight said once he arrived, he became the subject of an armed ambush.
“I hadn’t done anything wrong to these guys for them to want to kill me, but there was a contract,” Knight said.
The Carter family is seeking more than $10 million in damages from the Death Row Records founder.
