The trial for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur began Monday, with Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, 63, accused of ordering the assassination. Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, and died six days later.
Prosecutors allege that Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, orchestrated the killing and supplied the weapon used in the drive-by shooting. The trial is expected to last over a month, and Davis faces a potential life sentence if convicted.
Marion 'Suge' Knight, former head of Death Row Records and the only living eyewitness to the shooting, has publicly stated he will not testify. Knight was injured during the 1996 incident and was driving the BMW in which Shakur was a passenger.
"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 told ABC News last week, reiterating statements he made to TMZ in 2023. Knight, who is currently serving a 28-year sentence for a 2015 hit-and-run conviction, believes police have arrested the wrong man.
Shakur, 25, was in Las Vegas to attend a Mike Tyson boxing match. He was in a convoy of vehicles when a white Cadillac pulled alongside their BMW at a red light, and gunfire erupted. Investigators believe Davis began planning the attack after his nephew was assaulted by Shakur and Knight earlier that evening at the MGM Grand.
Davis was arrested in Henderson, Nevada, in October 2023, after being indicted by a grand jury. He faces charges of murder with use of a deadly weapon and a gang enhancement. Witnesses have identified Davis as a member of the South Side Crips and a known drug trafficker. Shakur had affiliations with gangs such as the Bloods and Mob Piru.
For years, Davis has spoken about his alleged involvement in Shakur's death in various interviews and a memoir. Investigators released new details and images surrounding Davis's arrest, including footage showing Shakur and Knight involved in an altercation with rival gang member Orlando 'Baby Lane' Anderson at the MGM Grand hours before the shooting.