LAS VEGAS — Lawyers representing the individual accused in the murder of the legendary rapper Tupac Shakur are seeking to postpone the trial scheduled for next month. They argue that additional time is essential for further investigative efforts to ensure that Duane “Keffe D” Davis receives a fair trial.
A motion submitted on Friday in a Nevada courtroom reveals elements of Davis’s defense strategy, mentioning that a private investigator has found witnesses who can testify that Davis was not present at the site of the 1996 shooting and was not in Las Vegas during that time.
The motion raises the possibility that another party may have been responsible for orchestrating the shooting, with more witnesses being interviewed who could shed light on this matter. The defense claimed in a statement that the emergence of new facts and the requirement to speak with critical witnesses justify the need for a trial delay. A hearing is set for Tuesday to discuss the schedule of the trial, which is currently slated to start in March.
Attorney Carl Arnold, who heads Davis’s defense, expressed, “This case involves allegations from decades ago, and with each new piece of evidence, it is clear that vital elements have not been fully investigated.”
On the evening of September 7, 1996, Shakur was a passenger in a BMW operated by Marion “Suge” Knight, the founder of Death Row Records. They were stopped at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up alongside them and opened fire.
Davis, a former gang leader accused of planning Shakur’s murder near the Las Vegas Strip, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges and has been in custody since his arrest in September 2023.
He has long been recognized by investigators as one of four initial suspects, but he remains the only one currently facing charges. Arnold argued that Davis should not have been charged at all due to immunity agreements he claims to have struck with both federal and local prosecutors during his time in California.
Prosecutors contend that any immunity agreement was limited, asserting they possess compelling evidence against Davis, including his own accounts regarding the shooting as detailed in his memoir, “Compton Street Legend.”
In interviews and in his memoir, Davis has admitted to providing the firearm used in the drive-by shooting and stated that he was in the vehicle at the time. However, his legal filings indicate that his more recent claims about directing the shooting were made for entertainment and financial gain.
The defense team also mentioned they had obtained witness information suggesting that Shakur was stable immediately after the shooting but passed away suddenly after spending a week in the hospital. They are consulting with medical and forensic professionals to investigate alternative explanations for Shakur’s death.
