Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, is scheduled to begin trial Monday, facing a murder charge in the 1996 drive-by shooting that claimed the life of Tupac Shakur, a seminal figure in hip-hop.
Davis has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors contend he did not fire the fatal shot but allege he was instrumental in planning the attack and supplied the weapon used. Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, while a passenger in a BMW driven by Marion “Suge” Knight, founder of Death Row Records. The rapper died six days later at the age of 25. The shooting occurred near the Las Vegas Strip.
Hours before the incident, Shakur, Knight, and others were involved in an altercation at the MGM Grand with Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, who was Davis' nephew and a member of the South Side Compton Crips. Prosecutors assert that Davis, Anderson, Deandrae “Freaky” Smith, and Terry “Bubble Up” Brown were traveling in a white Cadillac that pulled alongside Shakur's vehicle and discharged firearms. Davis is the only one of the four individuals still alive.
Authorities have long considered Anderson the gunman, though evidence has also suggested Smith may have fired the shots. The murder weapon has not been recovered.
Prosecutors aim to demonstrate that Davis orchestrated the events and provided the firearm. The gunfire originated from the Cadillac in which Davis was present. Davis has admitted to being in the Cadillac and has discussed the killing in interviews and his 2019 memoir, "Compton Street Legend." His attorneys, however, have argued that some of Davis' public statements were exaggerated and have questioned the admissibility of statements he made in a 2008 police interview. A Nevada judge has ruled that both the police interview and portions of his memoir can be presented during the trial.
Davis' attorneys attempted to have the charges dismissed in November but were unsuccessful. The trial is anticipated to last approximately four weeks.
Shakur's prolific rap career included over 75 million records sold worldwide, with popular songs such as “California Love,” “Changes,” and “Dear Mama.”
