Marion "Suge" Knight, the former head of Death Row Records and the driver of the car when Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in 1996, has stated he refuses to cooperate with law enforcement or testify in the upcoming murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis. Davis is accused of orchestrating the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur.
Knight, currently serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter stemming from a 2015 hit-and-run, said in a recent interview with ABC News that he wants no part in the trial. "This trial has nothing to do with me and if somebody brings me there, it's gonna hurt whoever brings me there. I promise you that," Knight stated. "Leave me out of it."
Davis, identified by prosecutors as a former Crips gang leader, was arrested in September 2023 and charged with murder in connection with Shakur's death. Prosecutors allege Davis ordered his nephew and others to open fire on Shakur and Knight in retaliation for a physical altercation that occurred earlier that evening. The confrontation involved Shakur and Knight against Davis' nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, in the lobby of the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas, where they had attended a Mike Tyson boxing match.
Security footage reportedly captured Knight and Shakur assaulting Anderson. According to authorities, Davis and his associates then pursued Knight's vehicle, eventually firing shots at a stoplight on East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane. Shakur, who was in the sunroof of the BMW Knight was driving, was struck and died six days later. Knight sustained injuries in the shooting.
Knight told ABC News that his refusal to cooperate stems from a long-held principle against being an informant. "I don't get paid to solve homicides," he said, echoing sentiments from shortly after Shakur's death. He expressed that testifying would be a betrayal of his loyalty to Shakur. "To actually get on the stand, and point somebody out, it's worse than taking a gun and shooting that man in the head. Because if you shoot a person in the head, they die once. If you get on the stand and you snitch on that person, they die a million times," Knight explained. "I am not going to be responsible for sending another man to prison for the rest of his life."
Despite Knight's stance, prosecutors believe they have a strong case, largely based on Davis' own public admissions over the years about his alleged role in the shooting. Davis has since pleaded not guilty and, in a jailhouse interview in March, claimed his prior confessions were lies made in pursuit of profit and without realizing he might not have immunity. Knight, however, expressed amusement at the defense's potential strategy, suggesting it would be difficult for Davis' lawyers to argue he wasn't present if Davis himself has repeatedly placed himself at the scene.
Jury selection for Davis' trial is set to begin, with the proceedings expected to last approximately four weeks. Knight remains incarcerated in a California state penitentiary.
Knight also spoke about Shakur's enduring legacy, noting that his youngest son, Legend, who is 16, is a rapper and a devoted fan of Tupac's music, as are his son's friends. "Tupac is not here. Well, I wouldn't say he's not here because he's in everybody's mind, and the people who knew him, he's in their heart," Knight said.