Tupac Shakur was one of the most celebrated rappers of his time, but his life was cut short at just 25 when he was shot and killed in September 1996. It has been 30 years since the “Wanted Dead or Alive” musician’s death, and on Monday, August 31, former gang boss Duane “Keffe D” Davis was found guilty of organizing 2Pac’s shooting.
Tupac Shakur’s Family Gets Justice
GettyShakur’s death came at a time when there was feuding between East Coast and West Coast rap scenes and rival gangs, the Bloods and Crips. For decades, his family and his fans have pushed for answers and for those involved to be held accountable.
Prosecutor Binu Palal argued Davis and his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, “went hunting” for Shakur after an altercation at the MGM Grand, where they had been watching a Mike Tyson boxing match, CNN reports. After around three hours of deliberation, the jury found Davis guilty of one count of murder with a deadly weapon for the shooting that happened in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 7, 1996. Shakur died in the hospital days later.
Davis, now 63, appeared in court wearing a black suit. Sentencing will be on October 13, but Davis told the judge he intends to appeal. But for Shakur’s loved ones and fans, this was a victorious moment, and they celebrated in the courtroom. Photos show family members embracing, with one raising his hand, and his sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, hugging the prosecutor after the verdict was read, BBC News reports. Others in the courtroom were seen crying.
Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis’ Trial
GettyBefore the verdict was delivered, prosecutor Palal told the jury that Davis had claimed “that he is responsible for Tupac Shakur’s murder” and that he made these claims through his memoir, a police interview, and various media, including documentaries and podcasts. “He’s the shot caller – in every instance, in every iteration, he’s the leader of the South Side Crips,” Palal said. “When you have the shot caller sitting shotgun when shots are fired, there’s no doubt he’s responsible.”
By contrast, Davis’ lawyer Michael Sanft had told the jury that what Davis had said before was not accurate and was an exaggeration to sell books and make money, BBC News reports. He concluded, “There’s no proof.” But jurors felt differently.
Fans were seen crying outside the courthouse as they celebrated the news.
2Pac Discusses Life & Emotions After Being Shot in 1994
In a 1995 interview with CNN, Shakur spoke about death after he had a near-death experience and was shot multiple times in November 1994. “I made peace with death a long time ago, so it wasn’t like I was like, ‘Oh my God, please don’t let me die,’ you know what I mean?” Shakur said. “I was thinking, you know, no one’s gonna hurt me. I’m Tupac, they love me. Even though I knew people wanted to kill me, so as far as that I thought about, how I did everything I wanted to do, now I have different goals and more goals. There are other things I want to accomplish.”
He revealed that at the time of the shooting, he had not accomplished everything he wanted to do. Then he lived, and his music career soared. “After that we went double platinum, after that all of these things happened, after that I grew up, I got mature, you know, so I like that,” he confessed.
