“`html
A Las Vegas courtroom reopened one of hip-hop’s most infamous cold cases this week as prosecutors presented their case against Duane “Keffe D” Davis, accused of orchestrating the 1996 drive-by shooting death of Tupac Shakur. Three decades after the September incident, prosecutors characterized the attack as a calculated act of retaliation, with Davis allegedly organizing the operation in response to an altercation at a Mike Tyson boxing match earlier that evening.
During opening statements, prosecutors revealed audio recordings from a 2008 police interview in which Davis allegedly described his involvement in the shooting. According to prosecutors, Davis claimed he positioned himself in the vehicle but could not fire due to the positioning of the getaway car. The state argues Davis provided the murder weapon and orchestrated the shooting, though he did not pull the trigger himself. Prosecutors contend Davis’s own memoir and prior statements corroborate their narrative.
Davis’s defense team challenged the prosecution’s timeline and evidence, questioning why authorities waited so long to file charges if Davis had truly confessed in 2008. The defense argued investigators failed to corroborate Davis’s account and suggested he may not have even been present in Las Vegas that night, noting an absence of receipts, photographs, or transactions placing him at the scene.
Davis, 63, pleaded not guilty to murder charges and has remained in custody without bail since his 2023 arrest. He claims to have left gang life in 2008 and spent subsequent years working legitimately before retiring.
“`
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
About the Author
