Duane Keith Davis, who is accused of committing murder in the 1996 death of Tupac Shakur, enters a plea of not guilty in Las Vegas.
Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis
On Thursday, a previous leader of a street gang in Southern California, entered a plea of not guilty for the charge of murder in the death of rap legend Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas back in 1996.charge
Inspired by his own accounts in recent times of arranging the fatal drive-by shooting.
Davis is the sole survivor who was present in the car when shots were discharged and is also the lone individual to face prosecution in connection with the incident.
When was Tupac Shakur’s death?
According to prosecutors, Shakur was killed in Las Vegas as a result of rivalry between East Coast Bloods and West Coast Crips, specifically involving Davis, in their quest for control in the genre of “gangsta rap.”
The individual achieved five top-rated albums, was considered for six Grammy Awards, was honored with a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, and was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this year.
What occurred during the court proceedings?
At the court hearing on Thursday, Davis stood with restraints on as he waited for the legal proceedings to begin. He acknowledged his family’s presence in the crowded audience and waved to his wife, son, and daughter.
Davis responded with a plea of “not guilty” when Judge Tierra Jones of Clark County District Court requested his plea.
The judge informed Davis that the prosecution is not pursuing the death penalty in his case. If convicted, Davis could face a lifetime sentence in prison. Jones appointed county special public defenders Robert Arroyo and Charles Cano to defend Davis at the expense of taxpayers, after Davis was unsuccessful in hiring private defense attorney Ross Goodman.
Two weeks ago, Goodman stated that the prosecutors do not have enough witnesses or crucial evidence, such as a gun or vehicle, for the murder that occurred 27 years ago. On Thursday, outside of the courtroom, Goodman mentioned that Davis is still attempting to hire him. Members of Davis’ family have chosen not to make a statement.
The District Attorney of Clark County, Steve Wolfson, stated to the media that he and a group of prosecution officials have determined that the charges against Davis are not appropriate for the death penalty. He did not provide specific reasons for this conclusion.
Wolfson refused to address Goodman’s objections to the evidence and stated that the jury will consider the findings of the police investigation.
During his court appearance, Davis was dressed in dark blue jail clothing and responded to various inquiries. He stated that he had completed one year of college and was not under the influence of any substances. He also acknowledged that he is being charged with murder. The judge scheduled his next court date for Tuesday in order to plan for the trial.
60 years old and He is from Compton, California.
Davis, aged 60, hails from Compton, California. He was born and raised there.arrested
On September 29, in a suburban area of Henderson, a search warrant was served by Las Vegas police at a residence, bringing renewed focus to a long-standing mystery in the world of hip-hop music. The suspect, Davis, is currently incarcerated without the option for bail. He did not testify in front of the grand jury that charged him and has chosen not to speak with The Associated Press while in jail.
The accusation states that Davis acquired and distributed a firearm to an individual in the rear seat of a Cadillac prior to the exchange of gunfire between vehicles that fatally injured Shakur and injured rap music executive Marion “Suge” Knight at a nearby intersection of the Las Vegas Strip. Shakur passed away a week later at the age of 25.
Knight, who is now 58 years old, is currently incarcerated in California.serving a 28-year sentence
In 2015, a Compton businessman passed away. Despite attempts to reach him through his lawyers, he has not commented on Davis’ arrest.
Prosecutors informed a grand jury that Davis admitted to being involved in the murder through various interviews and a memoir published in 2019, where he detailed his role as a leader in a Crips division in Compton. Davis maintains that he acquired a .40-caliber weapon and gave it to Anderson, a fellow gang member, while in the back seat of a Cadillac. However, he did not specify Anderson as the one who fired the gun.
At the age of 22, Anderson claimed he was not responsible for the murder of Shakur and passed away two years later due to a shooting in his birthplace of Compton. The other person sitting in the back seat and the driver of the Cadillac have also passed away.
According to Davis’ book, he informed authorities in 2010 about his knowledge of the murders of Shakur and his rival Notorious B.I.G, also known as Christopher Wallace. He did so in order to safeguard himself and 48 members of his Southside Compton Crips gang from being charged and facing potential life sentences in jail.
In March of 1997, Wallace (also referred to as Biggie Smalls) was fatally shot in Los Angeles, just six months after the death of Shakur.
Source: cbsnews.com