Tupac murder trial: defence urges jury to disregard Duane Davis's confessions
Duane Davis is on trial for orchestrating Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder, but his lawyers say his own confessions were lies to sell books.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The trial of Duane Davis, the former gang leader accused of masterminding the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur, is now underway in Las Vegas. Davis, 63, known as Keffe D, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. The prosecution says he supplied the gun and directed the attack that killed the rapper, but the defence is taking an unusual approach: it is telling the jury to ignore everything Davis has said about the case.
Davis was arrested in 2023 after decades of no arrests in one of America's most high-profile unsolved killings. Tupac was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on 7 September 1996, after a Mike Tyson boxing match. He died six days later at 25. The case became a cultural touchstone, spawning endless theories and a bitter rivalry between the West Coast and East Coast rap scenes, with Tupac's label Death Row Records facing Bad Boy Records, home of the Notorious B.I.G., who was himself killed six months later.
Prosecutors argue that the violence began after Tupac and his entourage attacked Davis's nephew, Orlando Anderson, at the MGM Grand casino. Davis then allegedly obtained a gun, got into a white Cadillac, and passed the weapon to another man who fired at Tupac's car. The prosecution's case rests heavily on Davis's own words, including a 2019 memoir he co-wrote, and recorded police interviews from 2009 in which he described his role. One recording, played in court, captures Davis saying he had the gun passed to his nephew in the back seat.
But Davis's defence attorney told jurors not to trust their own client. 'He is a liar,' the lawyer said. 'He told these things to sell a book.' The defence claims the memoir was partly fictional and that the police interviews were exaggerated. There is no evidence, they say, to prove Davis organised the shooting, and no other surviving witness from the Cadillac has come forward to contradict him. Davis has pleaded not guilty.
The trial, which began this week, is expected to last up to six weeks. Even if convicted, the question of who actually pulled the trigger may never be answered. Davis is not accused of being the gunman. Tupac's family and fans have waited three decades for justice. 'The amount of pain, distress, heartache that the family has gone through,' said his brother, 'is unmatched.'
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | Channel 4 | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis co-wrote a memoir about his involvement, but later claimed it was fiction. | · | |||||
| Davis was accused of ordering a killing and providing the gun. | · | |||||
| Davis faces a potential life sentence if convicted. | · | · | ||||
| Davis's 2019 memoir is central to the trial, and the defence argues it was fabricated or lies. | · | · | ||||
| Duane Davis was arrested in 2023 for the murder. | · | · | ||||
| The prosecution case relied on Davis's memoir and his statements to police. | · | · | ||||
| The trial is expected to last about a month. | · | · | ||||
| The trial of Duane Davis for the murder of Tupac Shakur has begun, with opening statements underway. | · | · | · | · | ||
| A memoir is expected to be central evidence in the case. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Davis could argue that his memoir and interview statements were lies to boost his relevance, not a confession to murder. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| The memoir is a key part of the investigation alongside taped police conversations. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| The trial was expected to examine the 1990s East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry. | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 4 gave the most detailed update on the defence strategy, reporting that lawyers were telling the jury that Davis's confessions were 'posturing' and that he lied to sell his memoir. It also covered the opening week, including the 2009 police recordings, and highlighted the unusual nature of the defence. The channel placed strong emphasis on Davis's own recorded words and the internal contradictions of the case.
- “He was never charged for any of what he said during that time period and it's because they knew he was full of crap otherwise you wouldn't...”
- “You're essentially telling the jury that you're that your client is a liar yep I am yes that's true”
- “The amount of pain, distress, heartache that the family has gone through”
The BBC News coverage focused on the legal complexities, particularly the challenge of picking a jury in a case that has been the subject of endless theories. It also featured an interview with a podcast host who gave context on the cultural significance of Tupac and the difficulty of separating facts from myths. The tone was analytical, and it gave weight to the idea that the trial might not reveal the full truth.
- “They shot him, but they didn't shut him up.”
- “The prosecution's case rests almost entirely on Davis's own public statements, TV documentaries, a memoir.”
- “It's definitely harder than another cold case.”
Sky News presented the trial as a potential resolution to one of music's great mysteries, but stressed that it may not answer the ultimate question of who pulled the trigger. The report focused on the legal details, including the four-week expected length and the defence's claim that the book was partly fictionalised, while also reminding viewers that the killing remains a subject of endless theories.
- “Who killed Tupac, 30 years after one of the most infamous murders in music history? A former gangster is going on trial, but it may not deliver the answers music fans are hoping for.”
- “Even after 30 years, it may not answer the one question that everybody wants answered. Who actually pulled the trigger?”
BBC One West focused on the emotional weight of the trial for Tupac's family and the wider hip-hop community. It reported from the courtroom, giving a direct account of the opening statements and the key details of the alleged revenge. It also included a comment from Tupac's brother about the family's pain, giving the story a human angle not emphasised elsewhere.
- “You will learn that Duane Davis got the gun.”
- “The amount of pain, distress, heartache that the family has gone through And Pac's fans have gone through It's unmatched.”
ITV1 gave a clear, conventional news report of the trial's start, describing the prosecution's allegation and the defence's denial. It emphasised that Davis may not have pulled the trigger and the uncertainty that remains. The report repeated the 1990s East Coast/West Coast rivalry and the aftermath, including the death of Biggie Smalls.
- “You will learn that Dwayne Davis got the gun.”
- “Dwayne Davis made sure that the shooters were armed and ready.”
- “Davis and his legal team are now backtracking, claiming parts of the book were fictional, written purely for profit.”
5 News provided a concise summary of the case, emphasizing the 30-year wait and the fact that Davis's own book formed a key part of the evidence. It also noted the 'no snitching' culture and how this case relies on self-snitching, giving a slightly different cultural context.
- “There have been countless theories over the years but no arrests were made until this in 2023.”
- “His lawyers essentially say the book lied and Mr Davis has pleaded not guilty.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.