Suge Knight May Have Discussed Bribing Witnesses for Upcoming Murder Trial

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that transcripts from recorded conversations between Suge Knight and his defense attorney appear to suggest that the two explored bribing witnesses in order to have them alter their testimony in his upcoming murder trial.

In the court filing released on Thursday, Knight and his lawyer Matthew Fletcher, along with Knight's fiance Toi-Lin Kelly and business partner Mark Blankenship, who were in on the call, "had an understanding that they were going to assist the defendant in procuring witnesses for his defense, which included payments for fabricated testimony." During one of their conversations, the group discussed the idea of paying witnesses to claim that they saw one of the victims in possession of a firearm.

The district attorney filed a motion, asking the court to look into whether representing Knight is a conflict of interest for Fletcher after investigators "gathered evidence of possible witness tampering, bribery, conspiracy to violate a court order and obstruction of justice." The DA also points out that Blankenship can be heard telling Suge that "witnesses being discussed would be procured by 'legitimate' means and that they would just 'tell the truth'" on multiple occasions.

At the moment, no one on the phone call has been charged in connection with possible witness tampering.

Knight is facing trial next year on murder charges stemming from a January 2015 incident in the parking lot of a burger stand in Compton. Following a dispute on the set of Straight Outta Compton with Terry Carter and Cle "Bone" Sloan, Suge ran over both men with his truck. Carter died from the injuries he sustained. Suge has pled not guilty, claiming that he was acting in self-defense.