Compton, CA — Ever since it was first adopted in this state, the Three Strikes Law has been controversial. While many support longer sentences for repeat criminal offenders, others argue that the law is overly harsh and leads to lifelong prison sentences for relatively minor third offenses. Repeat offenders often face harsher treatment before and during trial as well, and may be denied bail.
On Monday, Marion “Suge” Knight, 49, was charged with murder, attempted murder, and hit-and-run after he allegedly ran over two men with his car on Thursday in Compton, killing one and injuring another. Knight, the co-founder of the hip-hop record label Death Row Records, was on the set of the film Straight Outta Compton, which chronicles the early career of the influential rap group NWA, when he allegedly got into an altercation with Terry Carter and Cle “Bone” Sloan and drove away, striking the men with his vehicle. The next day he turned himself into the authorities and was released on more than $2 million bail after being booked on suspicion of hit-and-run.
Because Knight has two previous felony convictions, if convicted he could face the prospect of life in prison under the three strikes law. Because of the possibility of a life sentence, authorities have decided that Knight poses a flight risk and his bail has been revoked. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Compton on Tuesday.
Under California’s Three Strikes Law, a minimum sentence of 25 years to life is imposed on those who are convicted of a third violent or serious felony charge. Because it is based on the number of charges the defendant is convicted of, more than one strike can be earned in a single trial, which is why it is so important to have a criminal defense attorney who knows the best strategies for defending against a three strikes conviction.
For example, in some circumstances a lawyer can file a Romero Motion, which petitions the judge and jury to disregard previous convictions in sentencing. This can make a big difference in the amount of time served in the event of a conviction.
At the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti, we’ve been defending clients against all kinds of criminal charges in Orange County’s state and criminal courts for over 16 years. In that time, we’ve amassed vast amounts of knowledge and experience that we can put to work for you. Our firm has successfully defended clients against charges of murder, assault, domestic violence, fraud, sexual assault, and theft.
We know how difficult it is to face criminal charges, and we’ll do our best to help you deal with your legal troubles. Our helpful staff is available to address your questions and concerns 24/7 and we are more than happy to provide foreign language assistance for clients who need us.
As a fixture in Orange County’s legal scene for over a decade, we’ve been able to expand our business to include offices in Garden Grove, Irvine, Santa Ana, and Newport Beach in order to better serve our diverse local community and local court districts.
So if you’ve been charged with a crime in Southern California, call the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti at (714) 707-2797 for a free consultation with one of our highly qualified legal professionals.
Sources:
Pamer, Melissa. “‘Suge’ Knight Charged With Murder; Conviction Would Be Third Strike Against Him.” http://ktla.com/2015/02/02/suge-knights-2-2-million-bail-revoked-in-compton-hit-and-run/. KTLA 5. 2 February 2015.
Parker, Ryan and Joseph Serna. “Marion ‘Suge’ Knight charged with murder; attempted murder.” http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-suge-knights-bail-revoked-20150202-story.html. Los Angeles Times. 2 February 2015.
