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Davis Trial Reopens Tupac Murder Allegations, Jury Selected

8/17/2026

40 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Keffe D Trial

Duane “Keffe D” Davis began his trial Monday for the September 7, 1996 drive-by killing Tupac Shakur, pleading not guilty to murder to aid a gang.
Prosecutors say Davis planned the attack, supplied the gun, and face a 16-person jury of women and men hearing statements at 9:30 a.m., presided by Judge Carli Kierny.
They will call 35-45 witnesses and cite Davis’s 2019 memoir “Compton Street Legend,” which the defense seeks to limit.

Summary

Diddy Accused

Prosecutors allege rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs paid $1 million and masterminded Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder.
The drive-by was fired from a white Cadillac occupied by Davis and three other men, all now dead.
Prosecutors cite Davis’s memoir and interviews as the key factor reviving the cold-case.
Prosecutors say the trial will last several weeks due to the large witness roster.

History

Historical Context

The O.J. Simpson criminal trial opened Jan 24, 1995 in Los Angeles, ran eight months, and delivered a not-guilty verdict on Oct 3, 1995, igniting a national debate about media influence, race and new DNA evidence. That legacy echoes in the present Duane “Keffe D” Davis murder trial in Los Angeles, where a jury again faces intense media scrutiny.

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Keffe D Trial

Duane “Keffe D” Davis began his trial Monday for the September 7, 1996 drive-by killing Tupac Shakur, pleading not guilty to murder to aid a gang.
Prosecutors say Davis planned the attack, supplied the gun, and face a 16-person jury of women and men hearing statements at 9:30 a.m., presided by Judge Carli Kierny.
They will call 35-45 witnesses and cite Davis’s 2019 memoir “Compton Street Legend,” which the defense seeks to limit.

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