The nearly three-year delay in starting former Death Row Records executive Marion “Suge” Knight’s trial for homicide charges will likely continue, after a judge released Knight’s fifteenth lawyer Friday.
Judge Ronald S. Coen released attorney Dominique Banos from Knight’s defense team and cited a conflict of interest. Two of Knight’s previous lawyers were dismissed after being implicated in a witness tampering indictment. According to the Associated Press, Coen stated Banos is a target in the aforementioned tampering case.
Knight was charged with murder and attempted murder after striking Terry Carter and Cle “Bone” Sloan with his truck in the parking lot of a Compton restaurant in 2015. The L.A. Times reported the incident was the result of a dispute on the Straight Outta Compton movie set. Carter died from his injuries, while Sloan was seriously injured. Knight reportedly fled the scene, returned, and has since pleaded not guilty.
In the ensuing years, Knight has collapsed in court and been accused of tampering with witnesses and leaking sealed evidence.
In early February, Knight’s fiancée, Toi-Lin Kelly was also sentenced to three years in jail for allegedly facilitating communication between Knight and producers of a BET documentary on Death Row Records.
“All this stuff’s a way-out, crazy situation,” Knight said, during remarks made public during the dismissal. “I should be able to spend my money the way I want it. These attorneys…nobody in the world would use these attorneys for a jaywalking ticket!”
Cohen appointed Robert DeBlanc as Knight’s sixteenth attorney in the case. DeBlanc will reportedly serve on an interim basis as Knight claims to have already privately attained other legal representation.
Knight could face life in prison if convicted.
