Prosecution Rests in Tupac Shakur Murder Trial; Defense to Open

Prosecutors in Las Vegas rested their case on Wednesday in the murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, the former gang leader accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur. The state called 24 witnesses, including a former Compton gang detective who testified that Davis was a high-ranking "shot caller" in the South Side Compton Crips.

Davis, 63, has pleaded not guilty to murder with a deadly weapon, with gang enhancement. He has admitted to being in the car when Shakur was shot but denies ordering the attack. Prosecutors allege the shooting was retaliation for a casino brawl involving Shakur and Davis's nephew.

Defense lawyer Michael Sanft, who is taking the case pro bono, told reporters that the state's case relies on words, not evidence. "You hear a lot of words, but you don't hear anything that says, here's the evidence," he said. Sanft also dismissed a public claim by Suge Knight that the defense offered him a million dollars, noting he is working for free and that Knight declined to speak with the defense.

The trial began this week with jury selection, nearly three decades after Shakur was gunned down near the Las Vegas Strip. Shakur, 25, was in a BMW with music mogul Marion "Suge" Knight when a white Cadillac pulled up at a red light on Sept. 7, 1996. Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later; Knight survived.

The case went cold for years until Davis's public statements and a 2019 tell-all memoir revived interest. The defense is set to begin its case Thursday, arguing there is no physical evidence linking Davis to the crime.