Suge Knight appears in court in wheelchair

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was escorted into the courtroom on a wheelchair Wednesday during a preliminary hearing on a robbery case.

Knight's attorney Matt Fletcher said it was not appropriate, saying Knight felt humiliated in the wheelchair.

"He said, 'You treat me like 'Silence of the Lambs.' I'm fine, you're making my condition worse, let me get out,'" Fletcher said.

Knight fell at his previous court hearing and has been taken from courthouses four times for medical conditions since he was charged with murder in early February.

The judge promised Knight that he would not be brought into court in the wheelchair again as long as he was fit to walk.

This time, though, there were no medical issues for Knight, who is dealing with three separate cases, including murder and attempted murder charges in connection to a deadly hit-and-run in Compton.

Wednesday's court appearance was for a September robbery. A celebrity photographer accused Knight and comedian Katt Williams of taking her camera last year.

He had been represented by longtime lawyer David Kenner, but in court, Knight made it official with the judge, telling him that he fired Kenner.

Fletcher is now representing Knight in the Compton case. He expects he'll pick up the robbery case as well.

"He can't use the phone to call us. He can't use the phone to call his investigators. He can't speak with his kids. I'm sure people think that's fine. 'He deserves it,' that's what they think. When it happens to them, then they'll change their mind," Fletcher said.

Last month, a judge set Knight's bail at $25 million, at which point he collapsed, knocking himself unconscious.

His attorney maintains that Knight collapsed that day because of stress and claims his client is not being treated for his diabetes at the county jail.

"I mean, you can see he's lost 60-70 pounds. It's not the Hilton, I understand that, but when you got someone losing 60-70 pounds, there's an issue," Fletcher said.

As for the Compton case, Fletcher said Knight's defense is rock solid. If Knight is convicted on any of the pending cases, he could face life in prison because of California's "three strikes" law.