Opening statements began in Las Vegas in the murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, accused of arranging the 1996 drive-by that killed Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors say Davis supplied the weapon and framed the killing as revenge for an earlier assault on his nephew. The defense urged jurors to rely only on evidence, noting Davis' history of embellishment. The witness list exceeds 200 names and includes high-profile figures such as Marion "Suge" Knight.
“An Act of Revenge”: Opening Statements in Duane "Keffe D" Davis Trial Over Tupac Shakur Death
Duane "Keefe D" Davis was arrested September 29, 2023, on a single charge of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang, in the 1996 shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur. File Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Opening statements were delivered Monday in Las Vegas in the murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who prosecutors say arranged the 1996 drive-by that fatally wounded rapper Tupac Shakur.
Davis, arrested in September 2023, is charged with murder while using a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. Prosecutors allege Davis supplied the firearm used by members of the South Side Crips in the Sept. 7, 1996 shooting; Shakur died six days later. Davis has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution Portrays Killing As Revenge
In opening statements, prosecutors described the killing as "an act of revenge" stemming from an earlier altercation at the MGM Grand. They showed hotel security footage of Shakur and members of his entourage assaulting Orlando Anderson, identified by prosecutors as a nephew of Davis, shortly before the shooting.
"In his world," prosecutor Binu Palal told jurors of Davis, "there is no question that a response was required."
The prosecution also presented a compilation of past interviews in which Davis discussed the shooting, portraying those statements as corroborative of their theory.
Defense Urges Jury To Focus On Evidence
Defense attorney Michael Sanft told jurors Davis is "known to embellish or outright lie," and urged them to weigh only the facts and evidence presented in court. "The state cannot prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt the claim that Keffe had anything to do with first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon," Sanft said.
After opening statements, jurors heard testimony from four witnesses, including an officer who pulled over Shakur's car the night of the shooting and a woman who was following in a nearby vehicle.
Large Witness List, High-Profile Names
The trial formally began last week with jury selection. Prosecutors released an official witness list with more than 200 names. Among those listed is Marion "Suge" Knight, the co-founder of Death Row Records, who was in the vehicle with Shakur the night he was shot and was injured in the attack; Knight has said he will not testify.
The list also includes Kirk Burrowes, president of Bad Boy Records. Prosecutors have described alleged ties between Bad Boy and Crips-affiliated individuals in New York, while Death Row has been linked by some to Bloods-affiliated groups in Los Angeles. Burrowes has publicly accused Sean "Diddy" Combs of involvement; Combs has denied the allegation.
Rapper Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, who was signed to Bad Boy Records, was killed in a Los Angeles drive-by shooting about six months after Shakur's death—events that remain part of the broader historical context discussed during the trial.
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