Suge Knight pleads not guilty to murder



Marion 'Suge' Knight faces the judge at his arraignment in Compton's L.A. Superior Court. | Pool/Paul Beck, EPA

Marion ‘Suge’ Knight faces the judge at his arraignment in Compton’s L.A. Superior Court. | Courtesy of Paul Buck, EPA/Pool

Marion “Suge” Knight, 49, pleaded not guilty today to all charges stemming from a fatal hit-and-run committed in Compton last week.

The rap mogul, who appeared at a Compton courthouse this morning, denied the charges for murder, attempted murder and hit-and-run that the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office filed Monday.

During the hearing, Knight appeared calm and collected, politely addressing the judge’s questions. Afterwards, he was rushed to the hospital, where the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said he would undergo “treatment and evaluation.”

Knight is accused of deliberately running over Terry Carter, 55, and Cle “Bone” Sloan, 51, in the parking lot of a Compton burger joint on Thursday afternoon after an argument during the filming of Straight Out of Compton, a biopic about rap group NWA. Carter died in the incident, while Sloan was hospitalized for his injuries. [Read more…]

New USC Village breaks ground



Community members, student leaders, trustees and local politicians break ground with USC president Max Nikias. | Phoenix Tso/Neon Tommy

Community members, student leaders, trustees and local politicians break ground with USC president Max Nikias. | Phoenix Tso/Neon Tommy

Nearly 950 members of the USC community gathered Monday morning in 90-degree weather to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new USC Village, a project that aims to raise USC’s reputation around the world.

“There will be no one to catch up to,” said USC president C.L. Max Nikias about the appeal of specific project features to incoming students. These features include the 2700 beds to be added by 2017, and the retail space that will open up and about the McCarthy Honors College, which Trustee Kathleen Leavey McCarthy donated $30 million to build for incoming merit scholarship students. “Everyone will want to go where the action is.”

In the days leading up to the groundbreaking, admissions officials were excitedly anticipating how to market these features to next year’s freshmen. During the ceremony, President Nikias spoke of how USC was committed to transforming from a commuter university to a residential one, like “other preeminent universities.”

“This is special for us,” said Timothy Brunold, USC Dean of Admissions, in a phone interview in the days leading up to the groundbreaking. “The students we’re currently recruiting will be able to use it.”  [Read more…]