Suge Knight going blind? Rap mogul rushed to hospital again after court appearance

Marion 'Suge' Knight has told the judge presiding over his hit-and-run murder case that he is suffering from blindness and other health complications.

The 49-year-old star, who stands accused of running over two men in his truck, leaving one dead, was taken to hospital for the third time since being arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and hit-and-run.

Before being taken to hospital the music producer told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Brandlin that his health had deteriorated as a result of his multiple gunshot wounds.

According to Knight, who wore glasses during the brief court appearance, he was completely blind in one eye and had only about 15% vision in the other. He also told the court that he was receiving inadequate medical treatment in custody and had fired attorneys handling his case.

On 3 February, the former record label boss was taken into medical care after complaining of chest pains. Doctors later determined that the hip-hop impresario was suffering from an "intense reaction" to a potentially fatal blood clot.

Days later he was admitted to hospital once again for complaining about stomach problems related to injuries he suffered after being shot six times in a nightclub last year.

In January Terry Carter, 55, was killed and Cle 'Bone' Sloan, 51, injured following an argument with Knight in Compton, Los Angeles.

Knight's lawyer, James Blatt, claims he did not intend to run the men over, and was trying to escape an attack on the set of Straight Outta Compton, a film about rap group NWA.

"He was in the process of being physically assaulted by two men and in an effort to escape he unfortunately hit two [other] individuals. He was in his car trying to escape," Blatt said in a statement after Knight turned himself in to police.

But prosecutors allege that the US record producer intended to kill and fled the scene.

Knight, who helped launch the careers of stars including Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, has spent time in prison in the past.

In 1996, he served five years for a parole violation stemming from a prior conviction of armed robbery and assault with a gun. The music producer has also been implicated in a number of crimes ranging from homicide to domestic violence.

Brandlin has transferred Knight's case to Judge Ronald Coen.