Former rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight pleaded not guilty Thursday to a charge of threatening the director of the film "Straight Outta Compton."
Knight, who was ordered to return to court Aug. 10, was indicted in February for allegedly threatening "to commit a crime which would result in death and great bodily injury to Felix Gary Gray."
The film chronicles the rise of the rap group N.W.A. Knight allegedly sent the threat to Gray on Aug. 8, 2014, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Knight's son, one of several family members in court, wore a shirt with the phrase "Free Suge" at the proceeding, the Times reported.
Knight is separately charged with murder, attempted murder and hit-and-run for allegedly killing 55-year-old Terry Carter and injuring Cle "Bone" Sloan on Jan. 29, 2015, by running them down with a pickup truck in the parking lot of Tam's Burgers in the 1200 block of West Rosecrans Avenue.
He is awaiting trial separately along with comedian Micah "Katt" Williams in a case charging the two with stealing a camera from a female paparazzo in September 2014.
Prosecutors have repeatedly cited Knight's violent history, stating in court papers filed last year that he "has been a violent, unrepentant criminal for over 30 years." They have said his past shows "utter contempt for the judicial system and human life."
