Tupac Shakur was murdered in "act of revenge," prosecutor tells jury

Opening statements began on Monday in the trial of Duane Keffe D Davis, 63, who faces murder charges with intent to promote a criminal gang in connection with the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. Davis pleaded not guilty, and if convicted, faces life in prison. Shakur's family, including his stepbrother Maurice "Mopreme" Shakur, watched closely from the front row behind prosecutors.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal presented a picture of the Mike Tyson fight from September 7, 1996, and video footage of Shakur's entourage attacking Davis' nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson. Palal stated that a week later, on the same date, Shakur was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in revenge for his nephew's beating. Palal emphasized that Davis did not pull the trigger but handed the gun to someone in the back seat of his car and ordered them to shoot Shakur.

Davis' defense attorney, Michael Sanft, challenged the prosecution's narrative, calling it "fiction" and questioning why the charges were only brought in 2023, nearly 30 years after the incident. Sanft pointed out the lack of corroborating evidence and asked the jury to consider the long-solved nature of the case.

Shakur, a cultural icon and influential rapper, remains a beloved figure in the hip-hop community. Since his death at age 25, he has been honored with multiple Grammy nominations, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a street named in his honor. During the trial, which could last several weeks, prosecutors plan to call 35 to 45 witnesses, while the defense will only present a small number of witnesses.