Trial date set for suspect in fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur
Duane “Keffe D” Davis is scheduled to go to trial in June to face a murder charge in the 1996 slaying of Tupac Shakur, a Las Vegas judge ruled on Tuesday.
Davis, 60, has been the only person arrested in the drive-by shooting that occurred more than 27 years ago at the corner of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane. Prosecutors have said that Davis, a reputed member of the South Side Crips, orchestrated Shakur’s killing as part of an ongoing feud between the Crips and the Bloods-associated Mob Piru gang.
Last week, the case was transferred to District Judge Carli Kierny’s courtroom after Davis pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.
During a brief court appearance on Tuesday, Kierny scheduled a jury trial for Davis for June 3, although it is common for trials to be delayed in murder cases. The judge also ordered Davis back to court on Jan. 9.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo said the amount of evidence in Davis’ case is “as voluminous as I’ve ever had in my career.”
Davis’ special public defenders, Robert Arroyo and Charles Cano, told the judge they were still eviewing grand jury transcripts. The attorneys agreed that the special public defenders have until late December to file a petition that could challenge the murder charge.
Arroyo and Cano declined to comment on the case after Tuesday’s hearing.
Prosecutors have said Davis did not pull the trigger on the gun that killed Shakur. Instead, he is accused of being the “on-ground, on-sight commander” who orchestrated the plan to exact revenge on Shakur and Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight, in retaliation for a fight earlier that night involving Davis’ nephew.
Davis is the only man left alive from the four believed to have been in the car that the shots came from.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.
