Imprisoned former rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight, who for decades shared an acrimonious relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs, said his longtime archrival should take the stand in his trial.
Speaking to CNN’s Laura Coates from prison, where he’s serving a 28-year sentence for a deadly hit-and-run in 2015, Knight said he believed Combs should “humanize” himself.
“I feel if he do tell his truth, he really would walk,” Knight said. “If Puffy goes up there and says, ‘Hey … I did all the drugs, I wasn’t in control of my life at the time, or myself’ – he can humanize his old self and the jury might give him a shot.”
“But if they keep him sitting down, it’s like he’s scared to face the music,” Knight added. “He should just have his faith in God, put up his pants and go up there and tell his truth.”
Some insight: Benjamin Chew, the co-lead counsel for actor Johnny Depp in his defamation trial, told CNN this week that the standard wisdom is for defendants not to testify – but added it may benefit Combs to defend himself and express remorse over the allegations that have been brought up during the prosecution’s case.
Knight has resurfaced in headlines in recent weeks during Combs’ trial, as several former staffers employed by Combs mentioned the men’s rivalry.
One of Combs’ former personal assistants, Capricorn Clark, said Combs once brought her to Central Park at night and brought up her former employment with Death Row Records.
“He told me that he didn’t know that I had anything to do with Suge Knight, and if anything happened, he would have to kill me,” Clark said.
David James, another former assistant, recalled an instance when he and Combs’ security guard ran into Knight at a diner. When Combs heard about it, he ordered James to drive them back to the diner, bringing three handguns with him – but Knight had left by the time they arrived, James testified.
