Jury selection began in Las Vegas on August 10 in the case of former street gang leader Duane "Keffe D" Davis, who is accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Reuters reports, writes UNN.
Details
Davis, 63, faces one charge of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in Clark County, Nevada. He has pleaded not guilty. According to prosecutors, Davis led a group of men who organized the shooting at Shakur's car near the Las Vegas Strip.
If convicted, Davis faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Jury selection may take several days—about 75 prospective jurors were summoned to court on Monday and are to be questioned about their ability to remain impartial.
Trial of the Accused
Shakur's murder became one of the most notorious crimes in hip-hop history and heightened tensions in the rivalry between rappers from the U.S. East and West Coasts.
Davis was arrested in 2023. Police said he had long been among the suspects, but investigators previously lacked sufficient evidence to bring charges. The situation changed after Davis began speaking publicly about his possible involvement in the murder.
The trial, presided over by Judge Carli Kierny, may last up to five weeks. Possible witnesses include Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight, who was with Shakur on the night of the murder. Knight is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter in a case unrelated to the rapper's death.