Key facts
- Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, faces a murder charge with intent to promote a criminal gang.
- Prosecutors allege Davis orchestrated Tupac Shakur's death in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996.
- Davis's own statements to police, documentarians, and in his book "Compton Street Legend" are central to the prosecution's case.
- The defense argues there is a lack of physical evidence linking Davis to the crime.
- The trial has lasted nine days, with 24 prosecution witnesses and 3 defense witnesses testifying.
Closing statements are set to begin in the trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who is accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of influential rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas.
Davis, 63, faces a charge of murder with a deadly weapon, with prosecutors arguing he was the "shot caller" behind the attack. The prosecution's case heavily relies on Davis's own statements made to police, in documentaries, and in his book, "Compton Street Legend," where he admitted to being in the Cadillac from which shots were fired and handing a gun to individuals in the backseat.
The defense, led by attorney Michael Sanft, contends that Davis's statements are mere "braggadocio" intended to generate income and lack supporting physical evidence. Investigators found a Las Vegas hotel bill at Davis's residence, but its relevance and current location are unclear, highlighting the challenges of a case nearly 30 years old.
Over nine days, the trial heard from 24 prosecution witnesses, including a gang expert who testified to Davis's leadership role in the South Side Compton Crips, and three defense witnesses. The prosecution presented surveillance footage from the MGM Grand showing a fight involving Shakur's entourage and Davis's nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, hours before the shooting, which they claim was retaliation.