Suge Knight squanders last chance to save Death Row Records

Rap music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight failed to appear in court on the weekend, setting the stage for the court’s takeover of his assets, including his Death Row Records label.

A judge ordered the record company into receivership on March 24. But the takeover hinged on a hearing on Saturday, when Knight could have fought the order if he had showed up in court.

Knight has missed several hearings in a legal battle since he lost a $107-million US judgment in 2005 to a former associate, Lydia Harris.

Harris, who claimed she helped start the record empire with her former husband, said Knight had yet to pay up.

Knight's lawyers insisted they made a deal with her outside of the agreement and blamed Michael Harris for pressuring his ex-wife for more money from a divorce settlement.

Michael Harris, who is in prison on drug charges, said he contributed $1.5-million to help start up the company.

A court-appointed receiver was expected to take control of all the assets of Death Row Records, including a music library of artists such as Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

“He’s had his last chance as far as we’re concerned,” said Steve Goldberg, lawyer for Michael Harris.

Goldberg said he would petition the court to sell off the music library, amounting to a “death sentence for Death Row Records.”

Knight’s attorney, Dermot Givens, would only say: "We try our cases in the court and not in the press."

Givens also did not appear at the hearing and did not give a reason for his client’s failure to appear.

A hearing was set for Tuesday to finalize the receivership.