Duane “Keffe D” Davis trial begins Monday in Tupac Shakur murder case
Former gang member Duane Davis, who wrote a 2019 book describing his alleged role in the 1996 shooting of Tupac Shakur, will face a murder trial starting Monday. Prosecutors will rely heavily on his own statements, while the defense plans to challenge their credibility.
A Nevada judge has set jury selection for Monday in the murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, the only surviving suspect in the 1996 Las Vegas shooting that killed rapper Tupac Shakur and wounded Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight. Davis, 63, has pleaded not guilty to murder with a deadly weapon and faces a possible life sentence if convicted.
Prosecutors say the case rests largely on Davis's own words, including a 2019 tell-all book, podcast interviews, and statements made to police. In a recent filing they argued that many details in his book match other evidence, such as a Polaroid photo showing him in a distinctive suit described in the text.
"In this case, almost all of the evidence the state will seek to introduce will be to establish the credibility of Defendant's various accounts of his role in the killing of Tupac Shakur," the prosecution wrote.
Davis previously told federal agents in a 2008 proffer that he and associates sought retaliation against Shakur and Knight after an earlier altercation, and that a passenger in the back seat fired the fatal shots. He later recounted a similar version in media interviews and his book, describing the planning, the gun acquisition, and the moment of the shooting.
The defense plans to argue that Davis's public statements are unreliable, citing inconsistencies and claims that portions of the book were fabricated for profit. Former Clark County district attorney David Roger said the trial will focus on separating truthful from false statements in the book.
"It's quite the reversal. He's the defendant but he's also the all-star witness, quite frankly," CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson observed.
The prosecution also faces challenges due to the passage of time, including fading memories and the death or unavailability of potential witnesses. Suge Knight, a wounded survivor, has indicated he will not testify.
The trial is expected to last about a month, after which a verdict could result in a life-long imprisonment for Davis.