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The trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the only person charged in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing, has begun in Las Vegas.
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Prosecutors described Shakur’s death as an “act of revenge” and alleged that Davis helped orchestrate the shooting.
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Davis’ defense argued that the prosecution lacks concrete facts and challenged the reliability of his previous statements and the police investigation.
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The first witnesses have testified as prosecutors begin presenting evidence nearly 30 years after Shakur’s death.
August 17, (THEWILL) — The trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the only person charged in the killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, has begun in Las Vegas, nearly 30 years after the rapper was shot.
Davis, 63, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder with a deadly weapon.
During opening statements on Monday, August 17, prosecutors said Shakur’s killing was an act of revenge, while Davis’ lawyer argued that the case against his client is based on weak and unreliable evidence.
Prosecutors say killing was revenge
Prosecutor Binu Palal told the jury that Davis wanted revenge after his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, was involved in a fight with Shakur and members of his group following a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996.
According to prosecutors, Davis later got a gun and joined Anderson and two other men in a white Cadillac.
The group later came across the BMW carrying Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, who was driving the car.
Prosecutors allege that Davis helped organise the attack and passed a gun to someone in the back seat before shots were fired at Shakur’s car.
They do not claim that Davis fired the shots himself.
Palal also pointed to statements Davis made over the years, including claims in his memoir, “Compton Street Legend”, which prosecutors say support their case.
The prosecution described Davis’ anger toward Shakur as a central part of its case, arguing that the earlier confrontation involving his nephew provided the motive for the shooting.
Defense questions evidence
Davis’ lawyer, Michael Sanft, told jurors to question the prosecution’s version of events.
He criticised the police investigation, pointing to missing records, the passage of time and what he described as unreliable witnesses.
Sanft also challenged Davis’ past statements about the shooting, arguing that some of them were exaggerated or made to earn money and publicity.
He said the prosecution would have to prove Davis’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and argued that there were not enough facts connecting him to the murder.
First witnesses testify
After the opening statements, prosecutors called former Las Vegas police officer Garry Dale as their first witness.
Dale testified that he stopped the black BMW carrying Shakur and Knight earlier that night because it did not have a rear license plate.
He later encountered the vehicle again after the shooting and rode with Shakur in an ambulance as he was taken to the hospital.
Dale said Shakur was still conscious and speaking. When he asked the rapper who had attacked him, Dale said Shakur responded with words to the effect of, “No, we’ll take care of it.”
The prosecution also called Ingrid Stokes, who said she was in Las Vegas with friends on the night of the shooting.
Stokes testified that she and her friends were near Shakur’s vehicle when they heard the gunshots.
“We were head down, taking our seat belts off, when we heard the gunshots. All hell broke loose,” she told the court.
She also drew a map showing where her vehicle was positioned in relation to Shakur and Knight’s car.
READ ALSO:
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Tupac Murder Trial Begins As Keffe D Faces Court Nearly 30 Years After Rapper’s Death
Tupac Shakur’s Family Files Lawsuit Seeking Justice Over 1996 Murder
Background to Tupac’s murder
Shakur was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He died six days later, on September 13, at the age of 25.
His murder remained unsolved for decades and became one of the most closely watched mysteries in hip-hop.
Davis was arrested in September 2023 and charged with murder. Prosecutors allege that he helped organise the shooting in retaliation for the earlier fight involving his nephew.
Davis has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The trial is the first time anyone has faced a jury in connection with Shakur’s killing and is expected to last about four to five weeks.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
