Jury finds ex-gang leader guilty of murder in Tupac killing case

A Las Vegas jury on Monday convicted Duane Keffe D Davis, a former gang leader, of murder in connection with the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur. Davis, 63, was charged with first-degree murder in Nevada's Clark County and pleaded not guilty. After nearly three hours of deliberation, a 12-person jury unanimously found Davis guilty of using a deadly weapon to commit first-degree murder, which could result in a life sentence without parole.

Davis claimed he plans to appeal the verdict. Several people in the courtroom shed tears and hugged a prosecutor as the court recessed. The Clark County District Attorney's Office and Davis' lawyer did not immediately comment on the outcome.

Davis was accused of orchestrating the killing of Shakur, one of rap's most commercially successful and influential artists, in retaliation for the beating of Davis' nephew. Police had suspected Davis for years but lacked sufficient evidence until his revelations in media appearances and a memoir, along with recordings of his secret meetings with investigators, formed the foundation of the prosecution's case.

Davis' attorney argued that his client's statements were mere bravado and could not be substantiated by other evidence.

The trial commenced on August 17, 2022. Prosecutors presented hours of recorded conversations in which Davis expressed his fury following the beating of his nephew at a Las Vegas casino on September 7, 1996. According to Davis, he and three other men, including his nephew, sought out Shakur and Death Row Records executive Marion "Suge" Knight in a white Cadillac on the night of the beating.

Davis allegedly handed a gun to someone in the backseat, and when they discovered Knight and Shakur's vehicle, one of the individuals in the back opened fire. The shooter has not been identified, and the other three men who were in the car have since passed away.

Under Nevada law, Davis can be held accountable for murder even if he did not pull the trigger.