LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥� The man who prosecutors say orchestrated the 1996 killing of rap icon is scheduled to go to trial Monday, almost 30 years after the fatal drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.
Duane 鈥淜effe D鈥� Davis, 63, faces a single count of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang in Shakur’s death. He’s since late 2023 and has .
For decades, Shakur’s unsolved killing has gripped hip-hop fans. He’s considered one of the most influential rappers of all time with songs that speak to the human experience of love, heartache and familial relationships. When Shakur died, he was in the midst of a fierce battle for dominance in a music scene increasingly shaped by rival gangs.
The trial, which is expected to last about a month, likely won’t reveal who pulled the trigger. Instead, prosecutors hope to prove that Davis was the shot caller and provided the weapon. Gunfire came from the Cadillac that Davis was in, and he’s one of the only who is still alive. Prosecutors say if Davis hadn’t written explicitly about the killing, or talked about it in interviews, it’s likely no one would have been charged.
Cold case is revived on Tupac Shakur’s killing
On Sept. 7, 1996, Shakur was in the passenger seat of a black BMW and Death Row Records co-founder Marion 鈥淪uge鈥� Knight was driving. They had just watched Mike Tyson knock out Bruce Seldon and were headed to a nightclub where Shakur was scheduled to perform. But at a red light near the Las Vegas Strip, a white Cadillac pulled up beside them, and gunfire erupted.
Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived with minor injuries. Knight is serving a for a fatal hit-and-run.
The case went cold until Davis began making public statements about his involvement as a leader of the South Side Compton Crips. In 2019, he published a tell-all memoir. The book, along with interviews Davis gave, revived the police investigation.
Davis’ defense attorneys argue there is no evidence he directed the shooting and the state relies on witnesses who weren’t there. The defense said Davis left the narcotics trade in 2009 and worked a steady job before illness forced him to retire in 2014.
For Shakur’s family, the last 30 years have been exhausting and stressful, his stepbrother Maurice 鈥淢opreme鈥� Shakur said. Sitting through the trial will be retraumatizing, Shakur said, but he’s 鈥渃autiously optimistic鈥� justice will come.
鈥淚 hope that the trial is fair, and we find out the truth,鈥� he said.
Shakur’s death a result of longstanding gang feud, witnesses say
Hundreds of pages of grand jury transcripts portray Tupac Shakur’s shooting as a culmination of a longstanding feud between rival record labels 鈥� Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records 鈥� and rival gang sects Mob Piru and South Side Compton Crips.
Witnesses said South Side Compton Crips hung out with and provided protection to Bad Boy Records, which was founded by and included rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., or Christopher Wallace. Mob Piru, part of the larger Bloods gang, was associated with Death Row Records, which featured rappers like Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.
The rival gangs fought and retaliated against each other both before and after Shakur’s death.
Prosecutors allege Davis orchestrated the shooting to get revenge after Shakur and his entourage beat up Davis’ nephew, Orlando 鈥淏aby Lane鈥� Anderson, at the MGM Grand .
Davis’ book will be front and center at the trial
The prosecutors’ case relies on 鈥淐ompton Street Legend,鈥� the book Davis co-authored about the shooting and his time in the Crips, as well as police and media interviews he participated in.
Davis’ attorneys to block the use of the book and a recording of a in the trial. They argued the book was fictionalized and had a co-author, making it impossible to know which parts Davis wrote. They also argued Davis’ interview with a federal task force investigating the deaths of Wallace and Shakur was supposed to be confidential and not used against him.
The memoir says that Shakur and his entourage 鈥渃rossed the line鈥� when they beat up Anderson.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 let no record company studio gangsters do us like that,鈥� the book says.
Davis was in the passenger seat of the Cadillac and passed a gun to the back seat earlier that night, according to the book. When they encountered Shakur and Knight, Davis claimed to see Shakur reach for a weapon and wrote that 鈥渙ne of my guys from the back seat grabbed the Glock and started bustin鈥� back.鈥�
No weapon was found in Knight and Shakur鈥檚 car, according to retired Las Vegas police Detective Clifford Mogg, who was assigned to the investigation in early 2018.
The trial could bring closure 鈥� or more questions
Mopreme Shakur said nothing would bring back his stepbrother.
鈥淭hat would be justice for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we all know that is unattainable.鈥�
Mopreme Shakur said he wants allegations that Combs was involved to be explored further. In his book, Davis claims that Combs wanted Knight and Shakur killed. Combs has denied having any involvement in Shakur’s death.
He’s in prison after being convicted of prostitution-related charges. Combs’ attorney did not return emailed requests from The Associated Press for comment.
Shakur’s influence in the music industry endures
Shakur sold over 75 million records worldwide with hits like 鈥淐alifornia Love,鈥� 鈥淐hanges鈥� and 鈥淒ear Mama.鈥� His songs spanned from party anthems to deep social commentary. The issues he discussed still resonate with people 30 years later, history professor Jeffrey O.G. Ogbar said.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of anyone else in the history of hip-hop who鈥檚 had a greater impact in such a short period of time,鈥� said Ogbar, who is the founding director of the Center for the Study of Popular Music at the University of Connecticut.
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