Chronicles from the days of real gangsters in Hip Hop…
Transcripts just released from a grand jury hearing earlier this year indicate rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight allegedly gave multiple menacing warnings to “Straight Outta Compton” director F. Gary Gray during the filming of his Academy Award-nominated film.
Transcripts from the February hearing were just made public on Friday(Oct.23) and were believed to be true since all during the trial Gray says he has no recollection of any exchange with the former CEO of Death Row Records.
According to the court records, detectives claim Gray received a phone call on the set from Knight, who was angry at his depiction in the film and the fact that he was not compensated for his portrayal.
Gray hung up, but several more voice messages followed, allegedly ending with an ominous text message when Gray didn’t respond. “I will see u in person … u have kids just like me so let’s play hardball,” Knight texted, ending with expletives and a racial slur, according to court records.
At the grand jury hearing, Gray at times struggled to recall details about his film. Gray also claimed he could remember nothing about any phone calls, text messages or unspecified other communications from Knight that day.
“I can’t say I remember being threatened by him specifically,” Gray said, according to the transcripts.
Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Barnes told the grand jury that Gray was clearly afraid and was lying under oath. “He’s perjuring himself because he’s that afraid.”
The grand jurors eventually indicted Knight on charges of threatening Gray with death or great bodily injury. Knight is awaiting trial on those charges and separate robbery and homicide cases in Los Angeles County.
