- Duane Davis is on trial for murder for his alleged role in the shooting of Tupac Shakur, who died after a drive-by shooting in 1996.
- Prosecutors allege Davis was the 'on-the-ground, on-site commander' of the effort to kill Tupac.
- Davis has pleaded not guilty, though he acknowledged a role in the shooting in a 2019 memoir that authorities have said is key to the case against him.
- The trial is expected to last about a month, with a jury of six men and 10 women selected last week.
- Binu Palal, the chief deputy district attorney, showed jurors video of Shakur’s entourage attacking Davis’s nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson.
- Palal stated, “Let’s be clear, Duane Davis did not pull the trigger. But he did plan the shooting in retaliation of the beating of his nephew.”
- Palal also presented multiple video clips and audio of Davis describing his alleged role in the incident and his anger toward Shakur.
- Davis sought retribution for Anderson and allegedly obtained a gun with the intent to “hunt down” Shakur.
- In his memoir, Davis wrote about the incident, stating, “No words were exchanged, the time for talking had passed, the shit was on!”
- Prosecutors have indicated that Davis’s tell-all book and public statements revived the Las Vegas investigation.
- Marc DiGiacomo, a prosecutor, noted that had Davis not written the book, he likely would not have been prosecuted.
Duane "Keffe D" Davis faces trial for his alleged orchestration of the 1996 murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors claim Davis was the 'on-site commander' during the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur.12
In a significant twist, Davis's own 2019 memoir is being used as key evidence against him. In the memoir, he acknowledged his involvement, which has led authorities to revive the investigation into Shakur's murder.
Binu Palal, the chief deputy district attorney, presented jurors with a photo from the Mike Tyson fight on September 7, 1996, and video evidence showing Shakur's entourage attacking Davis's nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson. This confrontation allegedly motivated Davis to seek retribution against Shakur.6
The trial, which began with a jury of six men and ten women, is expected to last about a month. Davis has pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining that he did not directly participate in the murder.4
Prosecutors assert that Davis's public statements and memoir have been pivotal in bringing the case back into the spotlight, highlighting the ongoing impact of Shakur's legacy and the unresolved nature of his murder.
“Prosecutors allege that Davis planned the shooting in retaliation for the beating of his nephew, Orlando 'Baby Lane' Anderson. Binu Palal, the chief deputy district attorney, emphasized that Davis's own words from his memoir revived the investigation, stating, 'Had he decided to never write the book, he would not... have ever been prosecuted for the crime.'”
The Guardian
