Suge Knight is facing a second wrongful death trial over the 2015 hit-and-run death of Compton businessman Terry Carter. Despite ongoing tensions with his lawyer, David Kenner, Knight is refusing to let him withdraw from the case.
Kenner, who has requested to be relieved of his duties due to communication breakdowns and conflicts of interest, argued that Knight hadn’t paid him for the previous trial and had failed to subpoena witnesses or retain an investigator. Knight, currently serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter related to Carter’s death, expressed frustration about his lawyer not taking his calls. The judge rejected Kenner’s motion to withdraw, and jury selection for the civil retrial moved ahead.
“Your motion to withdraw has been denied, and I stand by that ruling,” Judge Thomas Long said Monday (April 21). “It seems to me there’s no reason you can’t do the best you can to cross-examine and examine witnesses and present Mr. Knight’s defense as well as possible. Of course, Mr. Knight is always free to remove you as counsel anytime he chooses. That’s up to him.”
Knight admitted to being at odds with Kenner but insisted on keeping him as his lawyer.
“But I don’t talk to my counsel,” he said. “I’m trying to communicate on the phone, and no one takes my phone calls. I’m not trying to be disrespectful, I just want to have a fair trial, and I need to communicate. Over the weekend, I would call, and nobody ever takes my calls. If the court could let Mr. Kenner know I called to talk, and we need to communicate.”
Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Tuesday (April 22). At Monday’s hearing, Judge Long also said opening statements and testimony aree expected to begin early next week.
The civil case stems from Carter’s death, which occurred after an altercation involving Knight and another man, Cle “Bone” Sloan, in the parking lot of Tam’s Burgers in January 2015. Surveillance footage showed Knight’s truck running over Carter, who was standing on the sidewalk. Knight claims he acted out of fear for his life after Sloan threatened him with a gun, a claim Sloan denies.
The first trial ended in a hung jury in 2022, and Knight is prepared to testify again in his defense. He continues to contest his prior manslaughter conviction, which he claims was coerced by his previous public defender. Knight is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence.