Marion “Suge” Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records, has reached a $1.5 million settlement with the family of Terry Carter, who died in a 2015 hit-and-run incident caused by Knight. The agreement, finalized on April 30, 2025, resolves a nearly decade-long legal battle nd averts a retrial scheduled for later that month.
Knight, currently serving a 28-year prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter related to Carter’s death, appeared via video from prison to confirm the settlement.
On January 29, 2015, near the set of the film Straight Outta Compton, Knight was involved in a violent altercation in a restaurant parking lot in Compton. Driving his pickup truck, he ran over Terry Carter, a 55-year-old businessman, and Cle “Bone” Sloan, a fellow acquaintance. Carter succumbed to his injuries within an hour, while Sloan suffered two broken ankles and a head laceration. Knight fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after and charged with murder.
In September 2018, Knight, now 60, entered a no-contest plea to voluntary manslaughter as part of a plea deal, avoiding a murder trial that could have led to a life sentence. He was sentenced to 28 years, with parole eligibility in October 2034. Knight is incarcerated at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
Carter’s widow, Lillian, and daughters, Crystal and Nekaya, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Knight, seeking $81 million in damages. Their attorney, Lance Behringer, argued that each family member deserved $1 million for every year Carter might have lived, estimating an additional 27 years.
The first civil trial in June 2022 ended in a mistrial, with the jury split 7-5 in favor of the plaintiffs, short of the nine votes required for a verdict under California law. A retrial was set for April 2025.
On April 30, 2025, before Judge Thomas Long, Knight agreed to a $1.5 million settlement via video from prison, avoiding the upcoming retrial. The settlement, far less than the $81 million sought initially, will be split equally among Carter’s wife and two daughters, each receiving $500,000. The terms of the agreement remain confidential, limiting further public disclosure.
Knight stated his attorney, saying,
“I settled out of respect for Terry Carter and his family. I never intended to harm him, and I apologize for the pain they’ve gone through.”
Lillian Carter has voiced ongoing distress and dissatisfaction, emphasizing the emotional toll despite the financial resolution.
Knight’s legal woes predate this case. In 2005, he was ordered to pay Lydia Harris $107 million in a dispute over Death Row Records, prompting a bankruptcy filing. Given his current incarceration and limited resources, this financial history likely contributed to the reduced settlement amount.
The $1.5 million settlement provides some financial relief to Carter’s family but falls significantly short of their initial claim, reflecting Knight’s constrained circumstances and the challenges of such lawsuits. By avoiding a retrial, both parties have opted for resolution over further legal contention, closing a chapter that began nearly ten years ago.
“This settlement balances closure with practicality,”
said legal analyst Maria Gonzalez.
“It’s a compromise shaped by Knight’s situation and the family’s need to move forward.”
The resolution of this case, reported on May 1, 2025, marks a significant moment in a saga that has gripped the hip-hop community and beyond, offering a measure of finality to a tragic event.
