Key facts
- A judge ruled that Duane "Keffe D" Davis's 2019 memoir, "Compton Street Legend," can be used as evidence in his trial.
- Davis is charged with murder with a deadly weapon for his alleged role in the 1996 drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur.
- The defense argued the book was fictionalized for profit and that Davis's prior statements to police should be inadmissible.
- The judge found that Davis presented the book as "the real truth" and denied the motion to exclude his police statements.
A Las Vegas judge has ruled that a 2019 memoir co-written by Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who is accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, can be used as evidence in his upcoming trial. The trial is scheduled to commence on August 10.
Davis's defense attorney, Michael Sanft, had sought to prevent the book, titled "Compton Street Legend," and statements Davis made to police in 2008 and 2009 from being admitted into court. The defense argued that the memoir was a fictionalized account written for financial gain and that it was unclear how much of it Davis actually authored. They also contended that Davis believed he had immunity for his earlier police statements due to a proffer agreement.
However, Judge Carli Kierny determined that Davis had adopted the contents of the book as his own, citing his multiple public statements describing it as "the real truth." The judge also denied the motion to exclude the police statements, noting that an attorney was present during those interviews and that Davis was free to leave at any time.
Davis, 63, faces a charge of murder with a deadly weapon, with allegations that the act was intended to promote or assist a criminal gang. The case stems from the drive-by shooting of Shakur in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. Shakur was in a BMW with Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight when a Cadillac pulled alongside them, and gunfire erupted. Shakur died six days later from his injuries, while Knight sustained minor wounds. The case had remained unsolved for decades until Davis began making public statements about his involvement, which prompted a renewed investigation leading to his arrest in September 2023. Davis has pleaded not guilty to the charges.