Key facts
- Duane "Keffe D" Davis is on trial for orchestrating the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur.
- In a 2008 interview, Davis stated his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, fired the fatal shots.
- Prosecutors contend Davis planned the shooting in retaliation for Anderson being beaten.
- Davis's defense claims his statements were "fiction" and "braggadocio."
- Several witnesses, including former gang members, have testified, some under court order.
- Davis has raised concerns about his family's safety due to his address being shared.
The trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur, has entered its first week of testimony in Las Vegas. Prosecutors allege Davis planned the shooting as retaliation after his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, was beaten. Davis himself admitted in a 2008 police interview that his nephew fired the fatal shots from a Cadillac that pulled up alongside Shakur's BMW near the Las Vegas Strip.
Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight were in Las Vegas for a Mike Tyson fight. Outside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Shakur, Knight, and their entourage were involved in a brawl with Davis's nephew, Anderson. Later that night, Shakur was fatally shot and died six days later, while Knight sustained minor injuries.
Prosecutors, led by Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal, are using Davis's own recorded statements from interviews with police, podcasters, and filmmakers as key evidence. Palal stated that while Davis did not pull the trigger, he "did plan the shooting." Conversely, Davis's defense attorney, Michael Sanft, has taken the unusual step of telling jurors that his client's statements were "fiction" and "braggadocio," suggesting law enforcement knew Davis was "full of crap" and thus did not charge him previously.
Over the first five days, seventeen witnesses testified, including responding officer Garry Dale, who recalled Shakur's last words as "We'll take care of it," and homicide detective Brent Becker, who noted the lack of cooperation from witnesses, including Knight. Some former gang-affiliated men testified unwillingly, providing dramatic accounts. Leonard Jefferson, who took the last known photo of Shakur, also testified.
Jurors heard recordings of Davis's interviews, including the 2008 police interview. In it, Davis described passing his gun to the backseat, where his nephew fired the shots. Davis has expressed concerns about his family's safety, stating his home address has been shared and his property vandalized.