Tupac Murder Trial Opens With Defense Admitting Client Lied in Book
In a striking opening, the defense in the Tupac Shakur murder trial concedes the accused lied in his book, questioning which version of events the jury will believe.
The murder trial over the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur opened in Las Vegas on Monday with an unusual admission from the defense: the defendant lied in his memoir.
Michael Sanft, attorney for Duane "Keffe D" Davis, told reporters outside the courtroom that his client's published account of the shooting was not truthful. When asked directly if he was telling the jury his client is a liar, Sanft replied, "Yep, I am. Yes, that's true."
The concession strikes at the heart of the case. Davis's book placed him in the white Cadillac from which gunfire erupted, and described providing the weapon used in the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur. Now, the defense says that version of events is false.
Sanft acknowledged the apparent contradiction, framing it as the central challenge of the trial. "Isn't that the conundrum?" he asked. "What version of events are you going to choose? That's the problem with the case. There's no clear answer to the question that you're asking."
He expressed hope that the jury would ultimately see the state's case as weak once all evidence is presented. "This is the first day of trial," Sanft noted. "We don't have all the information yet, but I think once we develop all the information, we'll see what kind of case the state really has."
The trial is expected to hinge on witness credibility, with the defense's own admission adding a layer of complexity to the proceedings.