Before Straight Outta Compton rose to a historic box office weekend, there was Suge Knight killing Terry Carter nearby the set of a promotional video spot used to promote the film.
Although N.W.A members Dr. Dre & Ice Cube were on location, they feel their presence did not give just cause to Suge Knight’s behavior and they both have filed motion to get their names removed from the wrongful death lawsuit.
The lawsuit against those involved with Straight Outta Compton alleges that the defendants should have known about the tensions between Dr. Dre and Knight and should have made security provisions to create a safe environment. It’s also alleged that Dr. Dre and Cube are vicariously liable for Sloan’s conduct.
In a demurrer filed last week, Dr. Dre and Cube say they committed no malfeasance, that their only affirmative act was a “specific request” that Sloan direct Knight to leave camp. This, they say, “did not create undue risks for anyone, let alone Carter.”
The two also say they owed no duty to Carter, that Knight’s assault wasn’t foreseeable, and raise the prospect of what might have happened if they allowed Knight to stay at base camp.
According to their motion, “These allegations plainly demonstrate that allowing Suge to remain at the base camp posed a serious risk that Suge could have injured someone at the camp — including Dr. Dre, Bone or one of the numerous cast and crew working on the film. Certainly, the risk that Suge might leave the base camp and proceed to his fatal confrontation with Carter was no more foreseeable than the possibility that Suge would injure or kill someone else if he had been permitted to stay.”
The former N.W.A members represented by attorney Alexander Cote say that there’s no proximate cause connecting their actions to Carter’s fatality, and argue that public policy and common sense can’t possibly demand “tolerating the presence of a dangerous and violent criminal with a grudge.”
Suge Knight is currently awaiting trial for murder of Carter and attempted murder of Sloan.
Watch the finished product that started it all down below.
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Photo: Universal Pictures
