LOS ANGELES, California, August 22, 2026 — In the murder trial of Duane Davis, who is on trial for killing Tupac Shakur in 1996, the defense is asking jurors to not believe him. Davis, 63, is accused as the mastermind of the drive-by shooting just off Las Vegas Strip. His attorney said this week that Davis’s public admissions were exaggerated for money, not necessarily for truthful statements.
An Unusual Defense
What do you have to say—what evidence do you have—that Keffe D was lying (in the various interviews he’s done, including in the book) attorney Sanft asked jurors. A 2019 memoir by Davis recounts his riding in the car that was shot. Those public statements were so persuasive in giving investigators probable cause, prosecutors say they could finally charge him.
During opening statements, defense attorney Jason Sanft urged jurors to dismiss his client’s nonsense. The strategy reverses the typical defense playbook where a defendant challenges evidence, rather than their own words. Davis has pleaded not guilty and at his trial could be sentenced to serve life in prison.
What Prosecutors Allege
Jurors heard from Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal, who said Davis did not pull the trigger himself. During opening statements, Palal said that “he did plan the shooting in retaliation for the beating of his nephew.” Davis is expected to testify at his own trial — although he’ll be doing so with years of public admissions against interest, prosecutors say.
Davis was long suspected by police, but they had no evidence to charge him until his book and media interviews came into the frame. “You ride a Cadillac with the men who pulled the triggers that night.” According to Davis he passed a gun to the men behind him in the vehicle.
A Fight Over Motive
Davis has previously claimed his public comments were nothing more than a way to earn an income. His attorneys also pointed to an immunity agreement with federal and local prosecutors that he signed years ago. Prosecutors respond that whatever immunity he was granted by the judge, it was not as broad or expansive and does not protect him from the current charges.
Prior to Davis’s arrest, investigators had searched his Nevada home last month and were said to have taken computers, a phone, and ammunition. They also located boxes of photographs and news clippings tied to Shakur’s 1996 death. That material made it into the evidence being laid out by prosecutors during the month-long trial.
A Case Decades in the Making
Shakur’s killing has stoked speculation for nearly 30 years and Davis is the only person ever charged. This has led to documentary, books and conflicting theories about who pulled the trigger. It took three days to select a jury as prospective jurors were asked about their prior exposure to the case.
The trial, which has been ongoing since August 10, is expected to continue for approximately one month. This may not definitively prove who pulled the trigger that killed Shakur. Court records and filings in the case are available through the Clark County District Court.
But legal analysts watching the trial are calling the defense strategy a major risk considering the preponderance of his own statements. Prosecutors plan to bring more witnesses who were in Las Vegas the night of the shooting. The ultimate outcome could simply bring legal finality to one of hip-hop’s oldest cold cases.
Shakur’s family has been present for many proceedings during the trial, sitting quietly throughout lengthy testimony. A conviction, music industry observers said, would lay to rest a chapter that has loomed over West Coast hip-hop for decades. Once the closing arguments are finished over the next few weeks, jurors should start their deliberations.
