newsline24

Duane “Keefe D” Davis, shown, was convicted by a jury Monday for orchestrating the 1996 death of Tupac Shakur. Davis was charged with one court of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. File Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Aug. 31 (UPI) — A jury has convicted Duane “Keffe D” Davis of first-degree murder in the 1996 death of rapper Tupac Shakur.

The jury returned the verdict Monday evening after deliberating for about three hours. Davis kept a straight face as the verdict was read and raised his fist as he exited the courtroom, CNN reported.

Davis will be sentenced Oct. 13. He faced one count of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in Shakur’s Sept. 7, 1996, shooting in Las Vegas. The hip-hop artist and actor died six days later.

Prosecutors said after the verdict that they chose to drop the gang enhancement from the charges because of witness logistics.

Davis was not accused of pulling the trigger in Shakur’s shooting himself. Prosecutors said he provided the weapon and the instructions to members of the South Side Crips gang to kill Shakur in a drive-by shooting, allegedly in retaliation for an attack on his nephew. Davis, who was indicted in 2023, pleaded not guilty.

Davis was the only person ever charged in Shakur’s death.

In closing arguments Monday, the prosecution said Davis and a group “went hunting” for Shakur. Davis’ memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” in which he says he orchestrated the killing, served as his admission even though he had a co-writer, they said.

In court, the prosecution played a video clip showing Davis promoting the 2019 book and calling it “the real truth,” NBC News reported.

“Go get the book, and you can get the real truth about this whole situation,” Davis told viewers in the video.

“For nearly 18 years, Duane Davis has told the police, television, books, YouTube interviewers, anybody that will listen,” said Binu Palal, chief deputy district attorney, in closing arguments. “He has told [them] he is responsible for the murder of Tupac Shakur. Tell him you hear him. Find him guilty.”

The defense, however, said the story in the memoir was fiction, made up to boost sales. They also focused on the lack of direct evidence and on missing records from the investigation.

“When you think about Mr. Davis’ statements, they all conflict,” said defense attorney Michael Sanft in closing arguments. “They conflict with the book, and they conflict with the past. And the only thing that we have is that we can agree on is that Tupac Shakur was shot and killed on Sept. 7, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nev.”