Trial begins for man accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur's killing

Las Vegas – The decades-old mystery surrounding the killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur is set to unfold in a Las Vegas courtroom as the trial for Duane "Keffe D" Davis begins. Davis, 63, stands accused of murder with a deadly weapon, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated Shakur's death in 1996 to promote or further a criminal gang.

Jury selection commenced Monday for a trial expected to last approximately one month. The case probes one of the most significant unsolved crimes in hip-hop history. Shakur, a towering figure in music known by stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was fatally shot on September 7, 1996. He was in a vehicle with music executive Marion "Suge" Knight when a Cadillac pulled alongside and gunfire erupted. Shakur sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died six days later.

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an angel from God

While Davis was arrested in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty, the prosecution's case reportedly centers on Davis's alleged role in planning the attack and providing the weapon, rather than definitively identifying the shooter. Recent years saw the case revived through public statements and a memoir by Davis himself, who was identified as a leader of the South Side Compton Crips at the time of the murder.

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a righteous man

Shakur's cousin, Kendrick Lesane, expressed hope for justice outside the courthouse, describing the rapper as "an angel from God" and a "righteous man." He emphasized that anyone involved in Shakur's death should face severe consequences for taking away "a beautiful person, an icon, a legend, and a great human being."

Judge Carli Kierny is presiding over the trial in Clark County District Court. Due to limited seating, a daily lottery will be held for public access to the courtroom, with a live feed available in an adjacent room.

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Whoever had anything to do with it, whoever set it up, whoever had any hand in it should be locked up in prison. They should do significant time because they took away a beautiful person, an icon, a legend, and a great human being.