Suge Knight Pleads Not Guilty, Murder Trial Set To Get Underway In July
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — A judge on Thursday set a July trial date for a murder case against Marion "Suge" Knight that was filed after the former rap music mogul ran over two men earlier this year.
Los Angeles Superior Court Ronald Coen said Knight's trial will begin July 7 unless a motion is made to continue it for a later date. He set aside 16 court days to hear the case and said potential jurors will be prescreened about their ability to serve before they get to the courtroom.
Knight pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and hit-and-run charges filed after he killed one man and seriously injured another with his pickup outside a Compton burger stand in January.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: SUGE KNIGHT TRIAL
His attorney has said Knight was fleeing an ambush when he hit the men.
Thursday's hearing marked Knight's first court appearance since Coen decided earlier this month that prosecutors presented enough evidence for him to stand trial.
Knight's attorney Matt Fletcher requested bail for the Death Row Records co-founder be reduced from $10 million to $5 million, but Coen refused.
In a surprise announcement, Fletcher also revealed that Knight will be rooting heavily for boxer Floyd Mayweather
Jr. in his long-awaited bout against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night in Las Vegas because the fight's outcome could help him get out of jail.
According to Fletcher, Mayweather is a friend of Knight's and may be willing to pony up some of his winnings if he prevails to help cover Knight's $10 million bail.
Knight, 50, is due back in court May 29, when Fletcher will argue the case should be dismissed.
Fletcher argued Thursday that Cle "Bone" Sloan, who was seriously injured in the parking lot altercation, did not positively identify Knight as the driver during a preliminary hearing. Sloan said he did not want to be labeled a "snitch," and he refused to say Knight ran him over, despite giving a lucid account of the incident to detectives after he was hurt.
Sloan admitted he started the confrontation by hitting Knight through the window of his truck.
Surveillance video captured Knight's truck clipping Sloan when he reversed out of the lot. The truck then ran over Sloan's legs as it sped forward through the lot and hit Terry Carter.
Carter, 55, died from his injuries.
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