LOS ANGELES _ A judge Thursday sentenced onetime record producer and rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight to nearly three decades in prison for killing a man during a 2015 hit-and-run.
Before sentencing Knight to 28 years, Judge Ronald S. Coen addressed the victim's family: "If it hasn't been said to you by anyone else, let me tell you that my heart goes out you." Family members cried softly.
Four days before the scheduled start of his trial last month, the Death Row Records co-founder struck a deal with prosecutors, pleading no contest to running over and killing 55-year-old businessman Terry Carter and capping a dramatic, protracted legal saga.
The hit-and-run, which authorities say followed a dispute on the set of a commercial for the film "Straight Outta Compton," was captured by a surveillance camera at Tam's Burgers on Jan. 29, 2015. The video from the Compton burger stand shows Knight backing his pickup truck over one man, Cle "Bone" Sloan, who survived, pulling forward and driving over Sloan again, and then fatally striking Carter before driving off.
The former music mogul, who was out on bail in connection with a 2014 robbery case at the time, turned himself in to authorities the next day. He originally pleaded not guilty, saying he'd acted in self-defense.
Knight, 53, and his lawyers have described Carter _ a Compton native who over the years built custom lowriders and produced music _ as Knight's longtime friend. But Carter's wife, Lillian, disputed the characterization, saying the two men knew each other through business circles but hadn't been close in years.
If convicted of murder at trial, Knight faced up to life in prison. As part of his agreement with prosecutors to enter a no-contest plea to voluntary manslaughter, he was to serve up to 28 years behind bars.
As part of the deal, prosecutors planned to dismiss Knight's two other pending criminal matters _ the 2014 robbery case and an indictment accusing him of criminally threatening the director of "Straight Outta Compton."
In the threats case, authorities said Knight was frustrated that he was not paid for the use of his likeness in the film, which chronicles the rise of the seminal rap group N.W.A. According to court records, Knight sent a threatening text message to director F. Gary Gray, that read, "I will see u in person ... u have kids just like me so let's play hardball."
Before the court hearing Thursday, Carter's wife, Lillian, joined hands with relatives, dropped her head and prayed. The group, some wearing T-shirts that read "jusTiCe," with Carter's initials capitalized, then walked silently into the courtroom, filling a row of seats. A line of Knight's family followed, sitting in a row behind them.
The former mogul, dressed in orange jail scrubs and wearing a cross necklace, smiled at his sister and his father as he walked into the courtroom. When Carter's brother-in-law, Damu Vusha, got up to speak, Knight swiveled in his chair to face him.
Reading from a letter written by his wife, Vusha described Carter as a kind, cool and generous spirit _ the type of guy who offered to buy the couple's daughter her first car. A man whose low-key presence could defuse tension. A true peacemaker.
Vusha told the judge that he hoped Knight got the maximum sentence and that he'd volunteer in prison to work with HIV and cancer patients _ somewhere, Vusha said, "where love is on the menu."
Knight smirked.
When one of Carter's daughters, Nekaya, 38, walked to the podium, she took several deep breaths and asked the judge for few moments before she began.
" 'What a life to take, what a bond to break,' " said Nekaya Carter, quoting lyrics from the song "I'll Be Missing You."
Every person who met her father _ "TC," she called him _ had a special bond with him, she said. Since her father died, Nekaya added, she has attended 94 different court proceedings.
"I've always wanted justice for my dad and now we've finally gotten it," she said, pausing. "Kind of."
One question always lingers in her mind, she said: What was said in those last five minutes or so before he died? What happened in those seconds before the truck barreled over her father _ those seconds captured on film that she has seen and can never unsee. She told Knight that she'd like to hear from him what was said and that she may visit him in prison.
A few minutes later, another relative read a letter from Carter's godson. His father died in a boating accident when he was 2 years old, he wrote, and Terry Carter stepped in to fill the void, showing him unconditional love. Carter was a hero and Knight is a villain, he wrote, before listing several comparisons:
"Terry was thoughtful, the villain thoughtless.
"Terry crafted solutions, the villain creates problems.
"Terry spoke the truth, the villain spreads lies.
"Terry brought people together, the villain tore a family apart."
Knight stared ahead expressionless when he was sentenced.
His defense attorney, Albert DeBlanc Jr., told the Los Angeles Times he and his client are satisfied with the conclusion _ it was the "best resolution," the attorney said, noting that the two other criminal cases have now been dismissed.
"There's nothing left," DeBlanc said. "That's called clearing the board."
Toward the end of the hearing Thursday, Carter's cousin, Patricia Hawkins, addressed the court. She told the judge that she believes in the justice system _ she worked for years, she said, as a federal police officer. But in this case, she said 28 years doesn't feel like long enough. Her cousin will never leave his coffin.
"I hope and I pray that we can find forgiveness," she said, pausing. "But it won't be today."
