Who shot ya? Tupac Shakur murder trial begins in Las Vegas after 30 years

After three decades, a former gang leader is set to face trial in Las Vegas for the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The proceedings, expected to last a month, will explore whether Duane "Keffe D" Davis was involved in the drive-by shooting that claimed Shakur's life on September 7, 1996. The trial aims to demonstrate that Davis, who was once the leader of the South Side Compton Crips, ordered the killing and provided the gun used.

If convicted, Davis could face life in prison without parole. Shakur, known for hits like "California Love" and "All Eyez on Me," was a prominent figure in the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry. Prosecutors claim that Death Row Records, founded by Marion "Suge" Knight, was protected by the Los Angeles gang Mob Piru, of which Davis was a member.

The trial will revisit the rivalry with East Coast label Bad Boy Records, which had hired Davis's group, the South Side Compton Crips, as bodyguards. The investigation was reignited in 2019 after the publication of Davis's memoirs, which detailed his alleged role in the murder. However, Davis has since recanted his statements and pleaded not guilty, claiming he was not present in Las Vegas on the night of the shooting.

His lawyers attempted to exclude the memoirs and a 2008 police interview as evidence, but the trial will proceed with jury selection beginning soon.