First Trial Begins for Murder of Rapper Tupac Shakur

The first trial regarding the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur has begun in Las Vegas. Duane Davis, also known as Keffe D, is the defendant in the case. Davis is an former gang leader of the South Side Compton Crips. He is charged with murder with a deadly weapon and intention to promote, foster, or assist a gang. He has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors allege that Davis orchestrated the attack and provided the murder weapon. The shooting occurred on September 7, 1996, on the Las Vegas Strip following a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon. Tupac Shakur and Death Row Records owner Suge Knight were in a black BMW when they were shot. Shakur died six days later at the age of 25.

Central to the case is a 2019 autobiographical book titled Compton Street Legend, written by Davis and Yusuf Jah. In the book, Davis describes how he sought retaliation after his nephew, Orlando Anderson, was attacked by Shakur and Knight. Davis claims he obtained a.40 caliber Glock and entered a white Cadillac with Anderson and two other men. He admits to placing the weapon in the back seat and describes a brief confrontation that led to the shooting. The book also alleges that Davis helped hide the Cadillac and the weapon after the crime.

While both reports agree on the basic facts of the trial, they differ in their presentation of the evidence. One center leaning report focuses on the artistic legacy of Shakur as a hip hop martyr and activist. Another center leaning report frames the case around the reliability of the evidence, arguing that the book is a work of self promotion and an unreliable basis for a conviction.