Security video of rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight’s fatal hit-and-run graphically shows Knight’s pickup hitting two men. One man was killed.
Knight has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the hit-and-run incident.
Knight’s attorney, Matt Fletcher, told CNN’s Paul Vercammen that the video, which was just made public, shows that Knight was attacked.
The Los Angeles County D.A.’s office told CNN’s Kyung Lah that, due to a protective order on the case, they cannot comment.
On January 29, Knight was allegedly involved in an argument on the set of “Straight Outta Compton,” a film about the rap group N.W.A.
The video, obtained by TMZ.com, shows Knight inside a red truck, pulling into the entrance of a Compton restaurant, Tam’s Burgers. He is then approached by Cle “Bone” Sloan, who was working security on the site.
The two men appear to talk for a few moments, with Knight still in his vehicle. Suddenly, the vehicle backs up, knocking Sloan to the ground. While still in reverse, the truck moves out of range of the security camera.
The vehicle is then seen zooming forward, back into camera range, running over Sloan, and then running over a second man, Terry Carter, a former rap music label owner. Carter later died, but Sloan survived.
Knight’s attorneys have said that the mogul, the founder of Death Row Records, was trying to flee from an attack and in fear for his life.
But an attorney for Carter’s family, Gary A. Dordick, had a different take.
“The video makes clear that Mr. Carter’s tragic death was caused by unnecessary acts of violence initiated by Cle Sloan attacking Mr. Knight and Mr. Knight choosing to retaliate using his motor vehicle as a deadly weapon rather (than) simply driving off to a place of safety,” Dordick said.
“Any suggestion by Mr. Knight that Mr. Carter played any (role) whatsoever in the fight through the car window is self serving nonsense with no factual support,” he added.
Knight, 49, faces up to life in prison if convicted in the fatal hit-and-run.