en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suge_Knight
1 correction found
The judge sentenced Knight to 28 years in prison: 22 years for running over the victim and 6 years because it was Knight's third strike under California's three-strikes law.
This sentence breakdown is incorrect. Prosecutors said Knight’s 28-year term was 11 years for voluntary manslaughter, doubled to 22 because of a prior strike, plus 5 years for a serious/violent felony and 1 year for the deadly-weapon allegation—not 6 years for a 'third strike.'
Full reasoning
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s official sentencing release gives the exact calculation of Knight’s 28-year sentence:
- 11 years for voluntary manslaughter
- doubled to 22 years because he had a prior conviction under California’s three-strikes law
- plus 5 years because the conviction was for a serious and violent felony
- plus 1 year for the deadly-weapon allegation (his truck)
That adds up to 28 years, but it is not the same as “22 years for running over the victim and 6 years because it was Knight’s third strike.”
The Los Angeles Times likewise reported that the manslaughter term would be doubled because of a prior felony conviction and that the additional six years came from the deadly-weapon/violent-felony enhancements, not from a “third strike.”
2 sources
- Los Angeles County District Attorney: Suge Knight Sentenced for 2015 Fatal Hit-and-Run
Knight received the high-term of 11 years in prison for the voluntary manslaughter count that doubled because he has a prior conviction under California’s three strikes law. He also received an additional five years because the conviction was for a serious and violent felony and a year for the deadly weapon allegation.
- Los Angeles Times: Suge Knight could serve up to 28 years after pleading no contest in 2015 hit-and-run death
The manslaughter charge carries an 11-year prison sentence, which will be doubled in Knight’s case because he has a prior felony conviction... An additional six years will be added to that sentence because Knight was charged with using a deadly weapon to commit a violent felony, prosecutors said.