Hip-hop's biggest antagonist, Suge Knight, has held a fascinating position in the rap game. Though his work in founding Death Row Records has solidified his position in hip-hop history, the man's legacy has been tarnished through his own nefarious actions, most recently for his role in a fatal hit-and-run case. And while Suge has been condemned to 28 years in prison, the surrounding case continues to develop. Today, XXL reports that Suge's business partner, Mark Blankenship, was responsible for selling surveillance footage of the murder to TMZ, and has decided to enter a plea deal.
M. Brown/Getty Images
As he has officially pleaded "no contest" in one felony count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, Blankenship will be sentenced to five years of probation. Not only that, but he'll also be forced to sell $55,000 in restitution to Tam's Burgers, which is where he originally "secured" the footage to begin with. The sentence is similar to his co-defendant Toi Lin Kelly, with whom he originally sold the tape; Kelly was hit with the same fate two years ago, along with the addition of one-hundred-hours in community service.
After Suge's fatal hit-and-run transpired, the judge originally barred the surveillance footage from being released to the public. Unfortunately, Blankenship and Kelly negotiated the sale of the illegally procured footage to TMZ for $55,000, a decision that ultimately led to their current circumstances. Meanwhile, Suge continues to serve out his 28-year sentence.
