‘Dual personas’: New attorneys take more nuanced approach with Tupac murder suspect

A February trial is expected to go forward for the man accused of organizing the killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, his new attorneys said at a Tuesday news conference.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 62, who awaits trial in connection with the 1996 fatal shooting near the Strip, recently replaced his lawyer. A news release promised “new and substantive announcements” at the press conference.

Carl Arnold had previously represented Davis, but last week, Davis hired Robert Draskovich and Michael Pandullo to handle his case instead.

The attorneys discussed how they would address Davis’ prior statements, which prosecutors have said drove a renewed effort to investigate Shakur’s killing.

Arnold defended Davis by saying his client was “a liar” whose own words could not be trusted.

Draskovich and Pandullo seem to be taking a more nuanced approach.

“It’s not so much an issue of being a liar in that we live in a society now of dual personas,” Draskovich said. “We have public personas. We have personas in reality. We have online personas.”

Pandullo added: “Most people are going to lie for certain reasons, for certain purposes.”

A memoir called Compton Street Legend purports to be written by Davis with a co-author. The book says Davis “tossed” a gun into the backseat of the Cadillac in which he was riding at the time. That weapon was used by a man in the back seat for the shooting, according to the memoir.

“Duane Davis is not a writer,” yet the book quotes Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man and Winston Churchill, which is not his style, said Pandullo.

Draskovich said there was “a financial incentive” for Davis to put his name on the book.

The lawyers said much needs to be done to prepare for trial, including looking into the possibility of alternate suspects.

Draskovich defended former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles during the trial last year in which Telles was found guilty of murdering Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German.

Pandullo was suspended by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2020 after he failed to appear for hearings and respond to requests for information from clients. The court reinstated him in March , with conditions that included random drug testing and meeting with a mentor on a monthly basis.

“I had some personal problems that involved my divorce and went through a tough time,” he said. “And the important thing is I’m in a much, much better place now and very happy to be back to doing what I love to do and what I’ve dedicated my life to doing.”

Pandullo said he struggled with a drug problem, but does not currently drink or use drugs. “I’m going to do my very best and do a very good, professional job in this case and I don’t think anyone needs to be concerned about any of those past issues,” he said.

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