LAS VEGAS — Legal representatives for Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the individual alleged to have killed the revered hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur, are seeking a postponement of the trial scheduled for next month. They argue that an extension is necessary for further investigative efforts that would help guarantee Davis a fair trial.
A motion submitted on Friday in a Nevada courtroom reveals pivotal information regarding Davis’ defense strategy. The documents disclose that a private investigator has located witnesses who are prepared to affirm that Davis was neither present at the scene of the shooting in 1996 nor in Las Vegas during that period.
Furthermore, the motion implies that another party may have coordinated the attack on Shakur, and efforts are ongoing to interview witnesses who could shed light on this aspect of the case. The defense team has expressed in a statement that these emerging developments demand additional time to engage with essential witnesses. A hearing is set for Tuesday to review the trial’s timeline, which is currently slated to commence in March.
“This case revolves around allegations that date back several decades, and each new piece of evidence brings to light the fact that many critical details remain unexplored,” commented attorney Carl Arnold, who is spearheading the defense for Davis.
On the fateful evening of September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur was riding in a BMW operated by Marion “Suge” Knight, the founder of Death Row Records. The two were halted at a red light when a white Cadillac approached and opened fire.
Davis, previously a gang leader and currently accused of orchestrating the fatal shooting of Shakur near the Las Vegas Strip, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and has been incarcerated since his arrest in September 2023. Known to law enforcement as one of the four suspects identified at the investigation’s outset, Davis remains the only one facing charges.
Arnold maintains that charges against Davis should never have been filed, citing claimed immunity agreements that Davis asserts were made years prior with both federal and local authorities while residing in California. In contrast, prosecutors contend that any such agreements were limited in scope and assert they possess robust evidence against Davis, including his own confessions detailed in his memoir, “Compton Street Legend.”
In various interviews as well as in the memoir, Davis has admitted to supplying the firearm utilized in the drive-by shooting and acknowledged his presence in the car during the incident. However, his legal filings assert that his recent narratives regarding how he orchestrated the shooting were “crafted for entertainment purposes and profitability.”
Moreover, Davis’ defense team claims to have obtained witness statements suggesting that Shakur was in stable condition following the shooting incident, but tragically passed away unexpectedly after being hospitalized for a week. They are currently consulting medical and forensic experts to explore possible alternative explanations for Shakur’s cause of death.
