With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Photos: Suge Knight Collapses In Court After Bail Is Set At $25 Million
During his bail review hearing today, Suge Knight found out that if he wants to get out of jail, he'll need $25 million to pass go. And then he collapsed.
Variety reports, "Los Angeles judge Ronald S. Coen has sided with the prosecution and set rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight’s bail for $25 million."
Knight has been in custody since late January after turning himself in for fatally striking a man and injuring another with his car on the set of the upcoming N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton. Knight faces charges of murder and attempted murder.
()
Support for LAist comes from
Suge Knight in court on March 9, 2015 (Getty Images)
Graphic video shows the incident that occurred on January 29. Prosecutors had argued the high bail amount, noting that Knight is a "prolific and unrepentant criminal" and his "shameless life of crime." From the LA Times:
To back up the claim, Deputy Dist. Atty. Cynthia J. Barnes documented the Death Row Records cofounder’s extensive brushes with the law in nearly 300 pages of written arguments and supporting evidence, including more than two dozen police reports and an affidavit that implicate Knight in robberies, extortion, money laundering, assaults, witness intimidation and battery. Among the revelations from the court documents:
—Knight is suspected of extorting “taxes” from rappers and athletes who want to work in Los Angeles or Las Vegas, according to a sworn affidavit submitted by Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Richard Biddle.
—Knight and a woman in Las Vegas are also involved in laundering more than $10 million since 2002 through a network of bank accounts, according to Biddle.
—In 2014, a man told the LAPD that Knight held him at gunpoint for about 10 minutes in an alleyway and repeatedly vowed to kill him, according to a police report.
()
Court officers attending to Knight on March 20, 2015 (Getty Images)
NBC Los Angeles reports, "Knight collapsed inside the courtroom moments after the hearing. Paramedics arrived at the courthouse, but details regarding Knight's condition were not immediately available. The judge closed the courtroom after Knight's collapse... Knight missed an inmate transport bus from jail to the courthouse, delaying proceedings Friday morning. After he arrived for the morning hearing, a judge set bail and ruled that Knight also must prove that any money used to pay for bail came from legitimate sources."
Update: NBC Los Angeles updated with video of court officers attending to Knight. His attorney said, "He was dripping sweat, like someone poured a bucket of water on him. He wiped the sweat off his head and said, 'I haven't had my medication.'"
However a prosecutor said Knight "did it in front of the cameras."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist