*Duane “Keffe D” Davis is set to face a Las Vegas jury beginning Monday, Aug. 10, nearly 30 years after the killing of Tupac Shakur.
Davis, 63, is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly helping orchestrate the Sept. 7, 1996, drive-by shooting. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison without parole if convicted.
Shakur was riding with Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight after a Mike Tyson fight when a Cadillac pulled alongside their vehicle and gunfire erupted. Shakur was struck four times and died six days later.
Davis was arrested in September 2023 after years of publicly discussing the case. Prosecutors plan to use statements in which he linked himself to events surrounding the shooting and the group allegedly traveling in the Cadillac. Davis now denies being there.
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His 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” could also become significant evidence. A judge ruled June 30 that prosecutors may introduce the book, which contains Davis’ account of events surrounding Shakur’s death.
The defense disputes how those statements should be treated. Filmmaker RJ Bond, who has investigated the case for years, questions whether a co-authored memoir can be considered a precise admission from Davis. He also argues prosecutors lack physical evidence placing Davis inside the Cadillac.
“You have a man being charged and potentially convicted for something he said,” Bond said.
Another dispute involves information Davis provided Los Angeles authorities in 2008 while facing serious drug charges. His attorneys contend protections connected to that agreement restrict how prosecutors can use some of his public statements. Judge Carli Kierny is reviewing Davis’ media interviews to determine what jurors may hear.
One major question could be resolved before testimony begins: whether Davis will remain behind bars during the trial. The judge recently indicated that Davis could still post bail, All Hip Hop reports. She also said his release would not interfere with the court’s handling of the case or the evidence.
Knight is expected to testify. Shakur’s relatives, former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, are also reportedly on the witness list.
Jury selection begins Monday at the Regional Justice Center. The trial is expected to last at least four weeks.
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