Tupac Shakur murder trial opens in Las Vegas as prosecutors allege orchestrated revenge killing

The murder trial of former gang leader Duane "Keffe D" Davis has commenced in Las Vegas, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed rapper Tupac Shakur. Davis, who has pleaded not guilty, denies the allegations, dismissing the prosecution's case as flawed and relying on a disputed memoir. Opening testimony included a police officer who stated Shakur refused to cooperate with investigators at the scene, claiming "we'll take care of it."

Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal characterised Davis as the "on-ground, on-site commander" who planned the shooting in retaliation for an altercation involving his nephew, Orlando Anderson. Prosecutors allege that Davis passed a gun to Anderson, who fired into Shakur's vehicle after spotting the rapper's caravan on the Las Vegas strip. The case centres on East Coast versus West Coast rap rivalries and turf wars between the Bloods and the Crips street gangs during the 1990s.

Police officer Garry Dale testified that he rode in an ambulance with Shakur after the shooting. Dale stated that Shakur refused to provide information about the incident and told the officer, "We'll take care of it." The officer's testimony aligns with the prosecution's narrative that gang culture and distrust of law enforcement led to a lack of cooperation, contributing to the case remaining cold for three decades.

Witness Ingrid Stokes testified that she and her friends were driving near Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight when they heard gunshots. Stokes described the scene as "all hell broke loose" after a vehicle attempted to get in front of them. Her account provides a civilian perspective on the chaos that unfolded on the Las Vegas strip on the night of the shooting.

A judge has ruled that Davis's 2019 memoir, in which he claims to have been a passenger and provided the gun, can be used as evidence, despite defence objections. Davis has distanced himself from the book, stating that parts were fictionalised to sell more copies. His defence team has argued that the investigation was flawed, citing missing police reports, biased detective work, and unreliable witnesses with financial motivations.

Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, was arrested in 2023 following public statements and his memoir. The defence has questioned why no one had been arrested for nearly three decades and asked why "no one corroborates any of this." They alleged that prosecutors relied on "unreliable people with criminal records, financial motivations and inconsistent statements."

The trial follows the death of Shakur, who was 25 years old when he was shot after a Mike Tyson boxing match on 7 September 1996. He died six days later. The proceedings mark the first legal action against the man accused of masterminding the attack, with witnesses, experts, and investigators slated to give evidence over the coming weeks.