Tupac Shakur murder trial opens as prosecutors say 'Keffe D' ordered 1996 killing

The murder trial for Tupac Shakur's 1996 death began, with prosecutors alleging that Duane "Keffe D" Davis orchestrated the shooting. Nearly three decades later, the case is set to unfold in a court in Las Vegas. Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal stated that Davis planned the act of gang retaliation following the beating of his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, by a rival gang.

Evidence includes videos showing Shakur's entourage assaulting Anderson, followed by the drive-by shooting from a white Cadillac, which prosecutors argue was an act of revenge. Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, is charged with murder using a deadly weapon in Clark County, Nevada. While prosecutors claim Davis did not pull the trigger, they assert he masterminded the shooting.

However, Davis' attorney, Michael Sanft, contests the narrative, claiming the prosecution lacks substantial proof and that Davis' accounts, including those in his 2019 memoir, cannot be corroborated. If found guilty, Davis could face life imprisonment without parole. The trial is projected to last up to six weeks.