RismadarVoice Reporters
August 31, 2026
Closing arguments have begun in the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the former Los Angeles gang leader accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of American rapper Tupac Shakur.
Davis, 63, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, is the only person charged in connection with the death of the hip-hop star, who was shot in Las Vegas three decades ago.
Prosecutors allege that Davis ordered the attack after his nephew was involved in a confrontation with members of Shakur’s entourage.
Addressing the jury on Monday, prosecutor Binu Palal argued that Davis was motivated by the gang culture of the time and organised the attack in retaliation for the earlier confrontation.
According to the prosecution, Davis obtained a firearm, assembled members of his group and went looking for Shakur.
Shakur was in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, to attend a Mike Tyson boxing match when a white Cadillac pulled alongside the BMW carrying the rapper and opened fire at a traffic light.
Prosecutors allege that Davis handed the weapon to another person inside the Cadillac and instructed that person to shoot Shakur.
The rapper was struck by multiple bullets and died six days later at the age of 25. Marion “Suge” Knight, who was driving the BMW and co-founded Death Row Records, was also wounded.
Davis’ defence lawyer, Michael Sanft, has argued that his client’s various accounts of the killing should not be treated as reliable evidence.
The defence has described Davis’ previous confessions and statements as fabrications, suggesting that some were made to attract attention and promote his 2019 autobiography.
Davis had publicly claimed involvement in the circumstances surrounding Shakur’s killing over the years, including during interviews with law enforcement and the media.
The case remained unsolved for decades before investigators renewed their interest following the publication of Davis’ memoir.
The killing of Shakur has remained one of the most prominent unsolved cases in American music history, generating years of speculation over who fired the fatal shots and the motive behind the attack.
Shakur, widely known as 2Pac, was one of the most influential figures in hip-hop and a central personality in the rivalry between the US East Coast and West Coast rap scenes during the 1990s.
The rapper, who was born to a family with links to the Black Panther movement, spent part of his childhood in Harlem and Baltimore before establishing himself as a major figure in California hip-hop after signing with Los Angeles-based Death Row Records.
He was known for hit songs including “California Love” and “All Eyez on Me.”
Davis faces the possibility of life imprisonment without parole if convicted.
