Ex-gang leader faces trial over 1996 Tupac Shakur murder

Decades after the unsolved murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur, a trial has begun in Las Vegas that could finally bring clarity to one of America's most high-profile cold cases. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, stands accused of orchestrating the fatal 1996 drive-by shooting.

Prosecutors allege that Davis, now 63, not only ordered the hit but also supplied the firearm used to kill Shakur. The rapper, then 25, was in Las Vegas to attend a Mike Tyson boxing match when the shooting occurred. Davis faces a potential life sentence without parole if convicted.

The trial is expected to delve into the intense East Coast vs. West Coast hip-hop rivalry of the 1990s. Shakur, a prominent artist for Los Angeles-based Death Row Records, was associated with the Mob Piru gang. The prosecution contends that Davis's gang, the South Side Compton Crips, were hired as bodyguards by rival label Bad Boy Records, founded by Sean "Diddy" Combs.

According to the prosecution's theory, the events leading to the shooting began when Marion "Suge" Knight, head of Death Row Records, and Shakur assaulted Davis's nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, a Crips member. This alleged assault fueled Davis's motive for revenge. Later that night, a Cadillac carrying Davis, Anderson, and others reportedly pulled alongside Shakur's vehicle, and shots were fired.

The investigation into Shakur's murder stalled for years due to a lack of evidence. However, the case was revived following the 2019 publication of Davis's memoirs, in which he detailed his presence in the Cadillac and his role in providing the weapon. These revelations, consistent with earlier statements Davis made to reporters, led to his arrest in September 2023. Davis has since pleaded not guilty, maintaining his innocence.

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I’m innocent. I ain’t kille