Grace Diviny, Staff Writer
On Monday, August 31st, jurors officially found Duane “Keefe D” Davis guilty in orchestrating the 1996 drive-by murder of rapper Tupac Shakur after decades of speculation on who carried out the fatal shooting.
It took the jury under three hours to reach a verdict after closing statements ended for the ongoing two-week trial, with it taking place in Clark County, Nevada. Davis was charged on one count of first degree murder with a deadly weapon, and is facing up to life in prison. Whilst Davis’ connection to the South Side Crips and their alleged rivalry with Shakur’s label Death Row Records might result in an additional charge of a gang enhancement, prosecutors decided to drop the charges as a result of witness logistics.
The verdict was met with happiness for the family and fans of the beloved rapper, with his sister crying whilst other family members rejoiced in one another. Fans outside the courtroom could be heard cheering and sobbing for the nearly 30 year cold case finally getting the closure and justice that was deserved. Davis, on the other hand, said he would appeal his conviction as he stood in front of the judges.
Shakur was driving back from the MGM Grand Hotel Casino on September 6th, 1996 when a white Cadillac pulled up at a red light they were at and shot at least seven times. He would initially survive the shooting, but died six days later due to his injuries.
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal, the shooting was planned by Davis after Shakur and Suge Knight beat up his nephew Orlando Anderson earlier that night at the hotel in which Davis found a gun and went looking for Shakur in retaliation. He had at least three other accomplices with him that night, including his nephew, but Davis is currently the only surviving member left to stand trial for the murder.
Davis’ own words were the primary key evidence, with him having admitted to being involved in Tupac’s murder on multiple occasions, including his 2019 memoir ‘Compton Street Legend’ and in a 2008 police interview. Whilst his recorded confession admits that he was not the one who fired the shots that murdered the ‘Changes’ rapper, Nevada law states that he is still allowed to be charged with pre-mediated murder. During the closing statements, Davis’ attorney Michael Sanft attempted to refute the evidence tied to him, stating a lack of physical evidence tying him to the crime scene and his memoir being an alleged money grab.
“When you think about Mr. Davis’s statements, they all conflict,” Sanft stated to the jurors. “They conflict with the book and they conflict with the facts. And the only thing that we have that we can agree on is that Tupac Shakur was shot and killed.”
However, Palal then spoke against Davis’ defense, noting the damning evidence through Davis’ multiple confessions over the years. “For nearly 18 years, Duane Davis has told the police, television, books, YouTube interviewers, anybody that will listen,” Palal stated to the jury. “He has told you he is responsible for the murder of Tupac Shakur. Tell him you hear him. Find him guilty.”
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13th. He still maintains his innocence in ongoing interviews with the media.
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