Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, faces trial in Las Vegas for the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, a case that remained unresolved for 30 years. Jury selection begins Monday in Clark County District Court, with Judge Carli Kierny presiding over proceedings scheduled to last about a month. Davis stands accused of murder with a deadly weapon, with the intent to promote, further, or assist a criminal gang. This prosecution comes three decades after the initial crime, highlighting a profound delay in the state’s ability to deliver justice.
Shakur, known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was shot multiple times on September 7, 1996, while riding in a black BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight. They were en route to Club 662 when a white Cadillac pulled alongside them, and gunfire erupted. Shakur died six days later, leaving a vacuum of accountability for decades.
Decades of Systemic Failure
The case went cold for years, only to be revived by Davis’ own public statements and a tell-all memoir. Davis, identified as a leader of the South Side Compton Crips at the time of Shakur’s death, was arrested in 2023. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors do not allege Davis pulled the trigger, but rather that he orchestrated the killing and provided the weapon. His memoir, “Compton Street Legends,” details his exact role in the shooting, stating he obtained a handgun and tossed it into the Cadillac’s back seat.
Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew, was long considered the primary suspect for firing the fatal shots. No charges were ever brought against Anderson, who died 28 years ago in an unrelated gang shootout in Compton, California. Two other individuals in the Cadillac with Davis and Anderson, Deandrae “Freaky” Smith and Terry “Bubble Up” Brown, have also since died, further complicating the pursuit of justice.
The Web of Gangs and Moguls
Prosecutors expect to call between 35 and 45 witnesses, including individuals who saw Shakur just before the shooting and those within the orbits of both Shakur and Davis. The witness list includes former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and members of Shakur’s family. Leonard Jefferson, a California resident who captured the last known photograph of Shakur, is expected to testify.
Denvonta Lee, affiliated with the South Side Crips, provided grand jury testimony linking rival gangs, the Crips and Mob Piru, to dueling record labels Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records. Lee testified that Anderson did not have a clear shot, claiming Smith took the gun and fired. He also stated that Davis was in command, giving the gun to Anderson, who then passed it to Smith. Other witnesses include Malcolm Greenidge, a friend in Shakur’s entourage, and Reggie Wright, who handled security for Death Row Records. Former police officers, detectives, and gang experts will also testify, painting a grim picture of the cultural landscape.
Justice Denied, Then Delayed
The defense attorney for Davis expects to call only a few witnesses, including an expert on false confessions and coercive interrogation techniques. Prosecutors have requested testimony from multiple out-of-state witnesses, one of whom is currently imprisoned in California. Marion “Suge” Knight, the only other living eyewitness from the vehicles that night, is serving an 11-year prison sentence in California for running over and killing a Compton businessman in January 2015. Knight has stated he will not testify, despite his testimony potentially being crucial for either side.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, currently serving a four-year prison sentence in New Jersey for prostitution-related charges, has been a subject of public speculation regarding his involvement. Davis’ book alleged Combs offered money to kill Knight and Shakur. Combs has consistently denied any involvement in the shooting, and his name does not appear on any witness list. The protracted legal battle and the involvement of figures tied to both gang violence and the music industry underscore the systemic challenges in upholding law and order within certain cultural spheres.