Tupac Murder Trial Opens in Las Vegas; Defense Cites Memory Lapses

The murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis, the man accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, opened in a Las Vegas courtroom on Monday. After the first day of proceedings, Davis's defense attorney, Michael Sanft, addressed reporters outside the courthouse, offering a glimpse into the defense strategy and his client's state of mind.

Sanft acknowledged the inherent challenges of a case this old, emphasizing that the passage of nearly three decades makes it difficult for witnesses to recall events accurately. "The length of time is going to be a huge problem for anybody to try to recall things," he said, underscoring the importance of police reports and thorough detective work in such circumstances.

The attorney also invoked a famous maxim, referencing Ronald Reagan's words about trusting but verifying. This, he suggested, is the lens through which the defense will approach witness testimony—believing people is one thing, but confirming the information is another.

When asked about Davis's demeanor, Sanft described him as "hopeful" and "in a good place right now," noting that the initial jitters have subsided. The defense has argued that Davis's 2019 memoir, "Compton Street Legend," in which he described involvement in the killing, was fictionalized for profit. Prosecutors, however, contend that Davis provided the gun used in the drive-by shooting, a claim that revived the cold case and led to charges nearly 30 years after the rapper's death.