Suspect in Tupac Shakur killing pleads not guilty to battery charge

A man accused of orchestrating the slaying of hip hop icon Tupac Shakur appeared in court Thursday morning on charges related to a December altercation at the Clark County Detention Center.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 61, who is charged in connection with the 1996 slaying near the Las Vegas Strip, was indicted Friday on charges of battery by a prisoner and challenging someone to a fight for the Dec. 23 incident.

The other man accused in the fight, Rochlon Hamilton, was indicted on the same charges. Both are accused of striking the other.

At Davis’ arraignment before District Judge Nadia Krall, he pleaded not guilty and invoked his right to a speedy trial, which was scheduled for April 7, according to defense attorney Carl Arnold.

Correctional officer Ari Keim told grand jurors that on the morning of the altercation, he was leading Davis back to his unit at the jail when Hamilton and Davis saw each other and started fighting, according to grand jury transcripts in the battery case.

Davis told police he was “just standing his ground,” and then invoked his right to an attorney, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.

Davis is set to appear in court Tuesday for a status hearing in the murder case.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.