Suge Knight Seeks Trial Delay Amid Legal Battle Over Prison Sentence

In a significant legal development, Marion ‘Suge’ Knight has requested a delay in his upcoming retrial surrounding a wrongful death lawsuit. This request, filed on October 17, 2024, comes amid Knight’s ongoing challenge against his 28-year prison sentence, which he claims was “coerced.” The lawsuit in question concerns the death of Terry Carter, who Knight struck with his truck in a 2015 incident.

Knight’s attorney, David Kenner, has filed an emergency motion, aiming to postpone the retrial set for November 12. Kenner’s request stems from limitations in communication with Knight, who is currently incarcerated in San Diego. Kenner alleges that in-person consultations were denied, thereby hindering preparation for the defense. “My client has rights to a vigorous defense, and his incarceration has impeded those rights,” Kenner asserted in court filings.

The wrongful death claim was initially filed by Carter’s widow and daughters a few months after the incident. Graphic surveillance footage from 2015 was a crucial piece of evidence in the 2022 trial, showing Knight’s vehicle striking Carter after a dispute at a Compton burger stand.

Knight, detained since 2015, testified during the trial via video link from prison. He alleged that he was ambushed and acted in self-defense. His plea deal, concluded in 2018, involved a no-contest plea to voluntary manslaughter, reducing the original murder charge.

Kenner is seeking to challenge the legality of this plea, pursuing a writ of habeas corpus, which he hopes will result in Knight’s release. Kenner’s objections include Knight’s claim of ineffective legal representation during his plea deal negotiations.

The Carter family’s attorney has not publicly responded to these motions, and attempts to contact the original prosecutors were unsuccessful. The Knight case has continued to capture public attention due to his historic ties to the hip-hop industry as the founder of Death Row Records.