The trial for the man accused of orchestrating the death of Tupac Shakur commenced this week in Las Vegas with jury selection. This comes nearly three decades after the rapper’s fatal shooting near the Las Vegas Strip. Attorneys began assessing potential jurors on Monday for a case that reflects a significant moment in hip hop history and a long-standing mystery. Seven prospective jurors were instructed to return on Thursday as the selection process continues. A total of 16 jurors will be picked for the trial expected to last a month.
Duane “Keffe D” Davis, aged 63, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder with a deadly weapon aiming to promote or assist a criminal gang in Shakur’s death. Davis was a leader of the South Side Compton Crips in California at the time. Shakur’s family members were present in the Las Vegas courtroom as jury selection commenced, a process likely to extend through the week.
Kendrick Lesane, Shakur’s cousin, expressed that anyone involved or who planned the act should be imprisoned.
Three decades since his passing, Tupac Shakur remains a cultural icon and is regarded as one of the most influential and versatile rappers ever. Shakur was 25 at the time of his death and had sold five million copies of his fourth solo album. He was traveling in a BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight on September 7, 1996. A white Cadillac pulled alongside them at a red light, and Shakur, in the passenger seat, was shot multiple times. He died six days later while Knight survived.
The case made no progress until recent years. Public statements and Davis’s revealing memoirs in 2019 revived the investigation, leading to his 2023 arrest. It is unlikely the trial will uncover who specifically killed Shakur.
Davis was present with his attorney in the Clark County District Court. Nevada Judge Carli Kierny addressed 75 potential jurors, questioning their ability to serve for a month both physically and logistically. Lead prosecutor Binu Palal listed individuals involved in the case, checking if potential jurors knew them, including Knight and Sean “Diddy” Combs. Jurors were asked about their favorite books and films, any gang affiliations, and familiarity with Shakur’s music.
Even though Davis was silent during the process, occasionally conferring with defense attorney Michael Sanft, he expressed a preference for Judge Kierny to decide his sentence if convicted. Prosecutors aim to show Davis’s involvement in Shakur’s death, asserting he made calls that led to the incident and provided a weapon. Davis co-authored “Compton Street Legends,” which narrates the shooting vividly. The book mentions Davis obtained a gun and tossed it into the Cadillac without indicating who fired the deadly shots.
Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’s nephew, was long suspected as the shooter but charges were never brought against him. He died in a gang-related shooting in Compton two years after Shakur. Others in the car with Davis and Anderson, Deandrae “Freaky” Smith and Terry “Bubble Up” Brown, are also deceased.
Rap fans have expressed relief online for the trial’s progression. On Reddit forums, a commentator noted the case had lingered over hip hop for so long that its advancement feels surreal. Another highlighted Shakur would be 55 if alive, lamenting the loss of potential music and films.
Prosecutors plan to call 35-45 witnesses, including those who saw Shakur before the shooting. Among the potential witnesses are former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Shakur’s family members. However, not all listed witnesses will testify. Denvonta Lee, affiliated with the South Side Crips, indicated rival gangs, Crips and Mob Piru, were tied to competing record labels Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records.
Lee was not present the night of the shooting but stated that Anderson lacked a clear shot, leading Smith to fire the gun. Lee also claimed Davis gave the weapon to Anderson, who then handed it to Smith.
The defense plans to call a few witnesses, including an expert on false confessions and coercive interrogation techniques. One potential key witness, Knight, is imprisoned in California, serving 28 years for another crime. Although Knight previously expressed unwillingness to testify, his testimony could prove crucial as he is the only surviving eyewitness from the vehicles that night.
Speculation exists about Combs potentially testifying, yet his name is absent from any witness list. Combs is serving a four-year sentence in New Jersey for prostitution-related charges. In his memoir, Davis alleged Combs offered money for the killings of Knight and Shakur, a claim Combs has denied.
Reporters from The Associated Press, including Ty ONeil in Las Vegas, Rebecca Boone in Boise, and John Seewer in Toledo, contributed to this article.