Former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight is back in the court, and this time, he’s refusing to let his longtime lawyer walk away—even as their communication breaks down before of his wrongful death case.
Knight, currently serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter, appeared by video from a San Diego prison on Monday ahead of the civil retrial over the 2015 hit-and-run that killed Compton businessman Terry Carter. Despite the strained relationship, Knight made it clear: David Kenner is staying on the case.
“I want to keep everything the same,” Knight said, per Rolling Stone. “And I’ll be ready for trial.”
The court wasn’t moved by Kenner’s request to withdraw. Even though Kenner said he and Knight hadn’t spoken properly in weeks and that he wasn’t prepared for the new trial, the judge shut down his motion to step aside. Jury selection kicks off Tuesday in Los Angeles, with opening statements expected next week.
In typical Suge fashion, the hearing was a mix of legal tension and bold defiance with the record label CEO sporting shades and a blue zip-up jacket, Knight snacked casually during the 45-minute proceeding. He raised his hand mid-hearing, frustrated that Kenner wouldn’t take his calls.
“I’m not trying to be disrespectful,” Knight told the judge. “I just want to have a fair trial, and I need to communicate.”
The retrial stems from a violent incident in January 2015 that shocked both Hollywood and hip-hop. Surveillance video from a Tam’s Burgers lot shows Knight’s Ford Raptor truck hitting both Cle “Bone” Sloan and Carter, the latter fatally. The conflict began earlier that day on the set of Straight Outta Compton, the Dr. Dre and Ice Cube-produced biopic.
Knight testified in the original civil trial—one that ended in a hung jury in 2022—that he feared for his life and acted in self-defense. He claimed Sloan, a security guard on set, had a gun (Sloan said it was a walkie-talkie), and Carter invited him to meet Dre to “clear the air” and allegedly offer money to avoid a conflict over Knight’s portrayal in the film.
Dre has denied any accusations of orchestrating violence against Knight. In fact, Dre’s lawyer dismissed the claim, stating:
“Given that Dre has had zero interaction with Suge since leaving Death Row in 1996, we hope that Suge’s lawyer has lots of malicious prosecution insurance.”
With no settlement in sight, this new trial will put the events of that fateful day—and Suge’s version of the truth—back under the microscope. The Carter family is seeking damages, while Suge, at 60, is fighting to protect what’s left of his legacy.
For the culture, this trial is more than courtroom drama. It’s another chapter in the long, chaotic saga of one of hip-hop’s most feared and fascinating figures—a man who once moved in the shadows of Tupac and Dre, now facing off with time, law, and legacy from behind bars.
