Jury hears closing arguments in Tupac Shakur murder trial

Duane "Keffe D" Davis, a 63-year-old former Los Angeles gang leader, is on trial for his alleged involvement in the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. According to the Daily Maverick, Davis is accused of leading a group of men to kill Shakur in retaliation for the beating of his nephew.

The prosecution's case, as reported by multiple outlets including Punch and the Associated Press, relies heavily on Davis' own statements, including those made in media appearances, a memoir, and secret meetings with investigators. Davis' lawyer, as per the Daily Maverick, has argued that his client's words were mere bravado and cannot be corroborated, and that there is no hard evidence to support Davis' claims.

Closing arguments are being heard by a jury of 16, with four alternates, after nine days of testimony from 27 witnesses. The Associated Press reports that the prosecution originally planned to call 35 to 45 witnesses. Davis faces a single count of murder with a deadly weapon.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Winnipeg Free Press, Daily Maverick, Associated Press — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.