A judge has ruled that a book co-written by Duane Davis, the man accused of ordering the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, can be used as evidence in his upcoming trial.
Davis, 63, faces a charge of murder with a deadly weapon, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated the drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. The trial is scheduled to begin on August 10.
Shakur was shot multiple times on September 7, 1996, while in a vehicle with Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight. A white Cadillac pulled alongside their black BMW at a red light, and gunfire erupted. Shakur died six days later, while Knight sustained minor injuries.
The case had remained unsolved for years until Davis began making public statements, including in his 2019 memoir "Compton Street Legend." In the book, he stated he was present in the Cadillac and provided the weapon used in the shooting. These statements, along with interviews, are credited with reviving the investigation, leading to Davis's arrest in September 2023. He has pleaded not guilty.
Davis's defense attorney had sought to prevent the memoir and statements made by Davis to police in 2008 and 2009 from being used in court. The defense argued the book was fictionalized for profit and that it was unclear how much of it Davis actually authored. They also contended that Davis believed he had immunity for his earlier statements to law enforcement due to a proffer agreement.
However, Judge Carli Kierny determined that Davis had adopted the statements in the book as his own, noting that he described the book as the "real truth." The judge also denied the motion to exclude his earlier police statements, citing that an attorney was present during those interviews and Davis was free to leave.