Trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis on Tupac Shakur murder begins, witnesses testify

The murder trial of Duane Keith Davis, charged in 2023 with involvement in rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1996 death, began with opening statements and the first round of witness testimony. Prosecutors plan to introduce Davis’s 2018 BET interview and his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, as key evidence, arguing the book provides the “single most probative” circumstantial proof of the shooter’s identity.

During cross-examination, a witness identified as Ingrid Stokes drew a map showing her car’s position relative to Shakur’s vehicle at the traffic light where the drive-by shooting occurred. She said she and friends fled the scene after hearing gunfire and later felt mistreated by police, describing officers as “rude” and treating them “like suspects.”

Former Las Vegas police officer Garry Dale testified that he was in the ambulance with Shakur after the shooting and attempted to obtain the victim’s identification of the assailants, but Shakur declined to name anyone.

The jury is partially sequestered, with members guarded during court hours but allowed to return home each evening. Defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh said the arrangement is intended to keep jurors focused on the evidence and the law.

A search warrant executed at the home of Davis’s wife yielded tablets, an iPhone, hard drives and a copy of Compton Street Legend, which prosecutors say will be shown to jurors. The trial is expected to continue over several weeks as both sides present further evidence and testimony.