Marion "Suge" Knight, the imposing co-founder and former CEO of the legendary Death Row Records, is currently incarcerated, serving a 28-year prison sentence that has kept him behind bars since his 2015 arrest. As of December 2025, the 60-year-old music mogul remains locked away in a California state prison, a stark contrast to the luxurious, powerful life he once lived at the height of the West Coast hip-hop era.
The definitive answer to "Where is Suge Knight now?" is that he is being held at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) in San Diego, California. His current status is that of a convicted felon, having pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter for a fatal 2015 hit-and-run incident. His earliest possible release date is still nearly a decade away, but that hasn't stopped him from making headlines with explosive statements from behind the walls.
Marion "Suge" Knight Jr.: A Biographical Profile
Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. was one of the most powerful and feared figures in the music industry during the 1990s, a reputation built on his success with Death Row Records and his notorious, intimidating presence. His life has been a dramatic arc from Compton football star to record executive to convicted felon.
- Full Name: Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr.
- Born: April 19, 1965
- Birthplace: Compton, California
- Nickname: "Suge" is derived from his childhood nickname, "Sugar Bear."
- Height: 6'2"
- Early Career: Played college football for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and briefly played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams as a defensive end during the 1987 strike.
- Music Career: Co-founded Death Row Records in 1991 with Dr. Dre and The D.O.C., becoming the label's CEO. The label was home to iconic artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur.
- Wives/Partners: Has been married to Sharitha Knight and singer Michel'le.
- Children: He has several children, including Bailei, Taj, Andrew, Legend, Posh, and Suge Jacob Knight.
The Manslaughter Conviction: The 2015 Fatal Hit-and-Run
The event that led to Knight's current imprisonment occurred on January 29, 2015, in Compton, California, during the filming of the movie Straight Outta Compton.
The Incident and Victims
The incident began as an argument on the set of the film. Knight drove his Ford F-150 Raptor pickup truck into two men in the parking lot of Tam's Burgers, an altercation that witnesses claimed was a deliberate act.
- Terry Carter: A businessman and co-founder of Heavyweight Records, Carter was struck and killed. He was a friend of Knight's and was reportedly trying to broker peace between Knight and other parties.
- Cle "Bone" Sloan: An actor and filmmaker, Sloan was injured in the incident.
Knight's defense team claimed he was fleeing an ambush and was acting in self-defense, but prosecutors maintained that he intentionally used his vehicle as a deadly weapon.
The Plea Deal and Sentence
After years of legal delays and health issues, Knight eventually accepted a plea deal in September 2018. He pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, avoiding a murder charge that could have resulted in a life sentence.
The sentence handed down was 28 years in state prison, broken down as:
- 22 years for the voluntary manslaughter count.
- An additional six years due to a "third strike" under California's three-strikes law, stemming from previous felony convictions.
He was formally sentenced on October 4, 2018.
Behind Bars: Life at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
Suge Knight is currently serving his decades-long sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD), a state prison located in San Diego, California.
Parole Eligibility and Potential Release Date
Despite the severity of his 28-year sentence, there is a definitive date for when the former music executive could potentially walk free. Knight is eligible for parole in October 2034. At that time, he will be 69 years old. If he were to serve his maximum sentence, he would not be released until 2046.
While incarcerated, Knight has reportedly been involved in various projects, including the sale of his life rights to a film production company. He has also maintained communication with the outside world, primarily through his family and legal team.
The 2024 Controversy: Suge Knight’s Explosive Claims About Diddy
Despite being in prison, Suge Knight has remained relevant in the media, particularly in 2024, due to the mounting legal troubles of his longtime rival, Sean "Diddy" Combs.
The Prison Interview with Chris Cuomo
In a highly publicized interview from the Richard J. Donovan State Prison, Knight spoke with journalist Chris Cuomo, making shocking claims and offering dire warnings to Diddy, who was at the time facing multiple lawsuits and a federal sex trafficking investigation.
The interview added a fresh, controversial layer to the narrative of both hip-hop moguls, creating a significant amount of media buzz.
The Dire Warning to Diddy
Knight used the platform to issue a warning to Combs, stating that his "life is in danger" and that he would not be safe in jail. He claimed that Diddy's current situation was "the deal of a lifetime" compared to the punishment he believed his rival deserved.
This public commentary from prison reignited the decades-old feud between the two executives, which dates back to the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry of the 1990s involving Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records.
Ongoing Influence
Even from behind bars, Knight has continued to exert influence on the hip-hop world. He has reportedly expressed his desire to tell his story fully, and his son, Suge Jacob Knight, has been active in the media and real estate, occasionally speaking about his father's situation.
The current reality for Suge Knight is one of confinement, with nearly a decade remaining before his first chance at freedom. His legacy remains a complex tapestry of musical genius and criminal notoriety, a figure whose shadow still looms large over the industry he helped define.
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