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Suge Knight pleads "no contest" to hit-and-run manslaughter charges, will serve 28 years

Suge Knight pleaded no contest on Thursday to involuntary manslaughter for running over and killing a Compton businessman, averting a murder trial that has been coming for over three years. With the plea deal, Knight agreed to serve 28 years in jail. More from the Associated Press:

During Thursday’s hearing, Knight, wearing orange jail attire with his arms and legs in chains, answered Judge Ronald Coen’s questions, loudly and quickly saying “no contest” when the judge asked for his plea. He will be formally sentenced on Oct. 4.

The plea deal calls for Knight to serve 22 years in prison on the voluntary manslaughter count, and another six years because it is a third strike violation.

Knight disagreed with the judge’s description of one of his previous strikes and put a pause in the proceedings that briefly raised tension in the courtroom.

“You served nine years for it,” Coen said, before Knight agreed to move on.

Carter’s daughter, Crystal, sat in the front row of the courtroom and displayed no visible reaction to the proceedings. “I’m surprised he pleaded out,” Crystal Carter said outside court. “Normally he likes the cameras to be on him 24-7.”

The agreement also absolves Knight in two other cases, both from 2014. He was accused of stealing a camera from a woman and of sending threatening text messages to “Straight Outta Compton” director F. Gary Gray.

Jury selection for Suge Knight’s trial was to have begun Monday.