A man accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing is on trial. Here’s what to know

The case of rap icon Tupac Shakur’s death has been unresolved for decades; now the man charged in his 1996 killing is going to trial.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, faces one count of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. Jury selection begins Monday, with the trial scheduled to last about a month.

The trial will bring to a head one of the biggest mysteries in the hip-hop world that has gripped the public for decades. Shakur, who also went by the stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, is considered one of the most influential rappers of all time.

Shakur was shot in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996. He was in a black BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight on their way to Club 662, where Shakur was scheduled to perform, when a white Cadillac pulled up beside them. Gunfire erupted. Shakur, who was in the passenger seat, was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived.

The case went cold until recent years, when public statements and a tell-all memoir from Davis revived the case. He was a leader of South Side Compton Crips at the time of Shakur’s death. Davis was arrested in 2023 and pleaded not guilty.

Here’s what to know about the trial.

When and where the trial will be held

It will take place in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, with Judge Carli Kierny presiding over the case.

Jury selection is expected to take a few days. Then, the prosecution and defense will give opening statements and witness testimony will begin.

Inside the courtroom, seats for the public will be in short supply, with a daily lottery for a chance to get one. A room on the second floor of the court will be open to the public and will show a live feed of the trial.

The trial likely won’t answer ‘who pulled the trigger’

Prosecutors are not arguing that Davis is the one who pulled the trigger that night, and the trial likely won’t confirm who fired at Shakur. Instead, prosecutors plan to prove that Davis made the calls that led to Shakur’s death and provided the gun used to shoot him.

Davis is the co-author of the memoir “Compton Street Legends,” which describes his exact role in the shooting. The book says Davis obtained a handgun from an associate and tossed it into the back seat of the Cadillac but did not say who fired the fatal shots.

Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew, has long been considered the suspect who pulled the trigger, but charges never were brought against him. He died two years after Shakur’s death in an unrelated gang shootout in Compton.

Two others — Deandrae “Freaky” Smith and Terry “Bubble Up” Brown — were in the car with Davis and Anderson, but they have since died as well.

Who is expected to testify

Prosecutors expect to call between 35 and 45 witnesses, ranging from people who saw Shakur moments before he was shot to people who were in the orbits of both Shakur and Davis at the time.

Their witness list includes former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and members of Shakur’s family. However not everyone on the list necessarily will testify. Rather, attorneys may ask potential jurors if they’re familiar with certain names.

Leonard Jefferson, a California resident who pulled up next to the BMW and snapped a photograph, which became the last known photo of Shakur, is expected to testify.

The state also is expected to call Denvonta Lee, who was affiliated with the South Side Crips.

In grand jury testimony, Lee testified that rival gangs, the Crips and Mob Piru Bloods, were tied to dueling hip-hop labels Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records.

Though he wasn’t there that night, Lee also testified that Anderson didn’t have a clear shot, so Smith took the gun and did the shooting. Lee also said Davis was in charge and gave the gun to Anderson, who gave it to Smith.

The witness list includes others who previously testified to the grand jury, including Malcolm Greenidge, a friend of Shakur’s who was traveling in his entourage that night. Reggie Wright, who grew up in Compton and worked security for Death Row Records, also is expected to testify.

But other witnesses will be new, including a former member of Death Row’s security team and a former member of Mob Piru who was at Club 662 the night Shakur was shot.

Witnesses also include former police officers and detectives as well as gang experts.

Davis’ defense attorney is expected to call a handful of witnesses, including one expert in the area of false confessions and coercive interrogation techniques.

Celebrities could be at the trial

Prosecutors requested to have multiple out-of-state witnesses testify, and it’s unclear who those people are.

One of the witnesses is in prison in California, according to court records. Knight is serving a 28-year sentence for running over and killing a Compton businessman outside a burger stand in January 2015. He previously said he would not testify in Davis’ case.

As Knight is the only other living eyewitness who was in one of the two vehicles that night, his testimony could make or break the case.

Davis’ attorney Michael Sanft told the Associated Press that Knight would be a good witness for his defense if the imprisoned mogul did testify.

Fans also have speculated whether Sean “Diddy” Combs will testify. Combs is serving a four-year prison sentence in New Jersey following his conviction on prostitution-related charges.

In his book, Davis alleged Combs wanted Knight and Shakur dead and offered Davis money to kill them. Combs has long denied having any involvement in the shooting.

A spokesperson for Combs did not return emailed requests asking whether he plans to testify, and his name does not appear on any witness list.

Hill writes for the Associated Press.