Duane “Keffe D” Davis was convicted of murder and using a deadly weapon in the case involving the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. The verdict was the first conviction in an investigation that had continued for decades.
The 63-year-old Davis faces life in prison. He denied the charges and was not accused of being the shooter in the case.
Prosecutors argued that the attack was planned in advance
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Binu Palal said Davis obtained a gun and set out to pursue Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight after his nephew was beaten that night.
Palal argued that although Davis’s account changed over time, he consistently acknowledged being inside the white Cadillac used during the shooting. The prosecutor said the incident was not a spontaneous reaction; Davis had helped prepare the attack and supplied the gun.
Palal said the identity of the shooter was not at the center of the case. Prosecutors did not allege that Davis was the person who fired the weapon.
Sanft pointed to a lack of independent evidence
Davis’s attorney, Michael Sanft, said there was no independent evidence linking his client to Las Vegas or to the white Cadillac used in the shooting. Sanft also emphasized that security camera footage and phone records were missing.
During nine days of hearings, the 16-member jury heard testimony from 24 prosecution witnesses and three defense witnesses. After a trial lasting several weeks, the jurors deliberated for less than three hours before reaching their verdict.
Shakur died six days after being shot
Shakur was shot at an intersection in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, after a white Cadillac pulled up alongside the vehicle in which he was riding. The 25-year-old artist died six days later. Knight, who was injured in the same attack, survived.
