Tupac Shakur murder trial opens nearly 30 years after rap star’s killing

Opening arguments are anticipated on Monday in the trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, a former gang leader charged with orchestrating the 1996 murder of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur. If convicted, Davis faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. The proceedings, which could extend beyond a month, may not reveal who pulled the trigger that night, but prosecutors intend to demonstrate Davis' orchestration and provision of the weapon used in the drive-by shooting.

Shakur, a key figure in the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry, was fatally wounded while in Las Vegas to watch a Mike Tyson fight. Prosecutors allege that Death Row Records, founded by Marion "Suge" Knight, was protected by the Mob Piru gang, of which Davis was a member. Meanwhile, East Coast label Bad Boy Records, created by Sean "Diddy" Combs, had hired the rival South Side Compton Crips, also led by Davis, as bodyguards.

Following a confrontation between Death Row and Bad Boy reps at the MGM Grand casino, Davis was reportedly seeking revenge. Later that night, a white Cadillac with Davis, a Crips member named Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, and others approached Shakur's vehicle, where shots were exchanged, resulting in Shakur's death. The investigation stalled for years due to insufficient evidence, but the case resurfaced after Davis revealed in his 2019 memoirs that he was in the front seat and handed a pistol to those in the back.

However, Davis has since denied responsibility, claiming the claims were fabricated by a ghostwriter for book sales, and has pleaded not guilty.