Suge Knight: Sheriff's Deputy Conspired with Dr. Dre to Kill Me

The L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. opened the door -- literally -- to a gunman who pumped 7 bullets into Suge Knight's body ... and his lawyer says it's all a sinister, shocking conspiracy.

Suge's new lawyer, Thaddeus Culpepper, filed legal docs in which he alleges a Sheriff's deputy was working a venue -- 1 OAK in WeHo -- for the 2014 VMA weekend when he let the shooter inside the club.

According to the docs, surveillance video clearly shows Deputy Henry Boyd letting the gunman inside the club, shortly before shots rang out.

The docs go on to allege the shooter confessed that Dr. Dre paid him and a friend $50k for the hit. The docs then claim the Sheriff's dept. inexplicably released the shooter from custody.

Culpepper goes on to say he is privy to video shot at LAX which allegedly shows Deputy Boyd helping the gunman flee the country.

The docs claim Deputy Boyd was questioned by authorities about the shooting and subsequently resigned from the department.

7:00 AM PT -- Attorneys for Dr. Dre tell TMZ the claim is "ridiculous."