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LAS VEGAS (BFMG) — The only suspect ever charged in the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur lost his bid to have his murder case dismissed on Tuesday.
Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny ruled from the bench that Duane “Keffe D” Davis is not immune from prosecution, rejecting Davis’ claim that he had reached immunity deals with federal and local authorities while living in California. Davis, 61, has provided no evidence of such agreements, the judge said.
Davis, who has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, is accused of orchestrating the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur near the Las Vegas Strip on Sept. 7, 1996. The rapper, 25, died six days later
Defense Cites Immunity and Delayed Prosecution
Davis’ attorney, Carl Arnold, argued the case should be dismissed, citing the alleged immunity agreements and claiming the 27-year delay in prosecution was an “egregious” violation of his client’s constitutional rights. However, Judge Kierny found no evidence that the delay was intentional.
Arnold said after the hearing that the defense team is considering an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.
Davis’ trial is currently scheduled for March 17, but it may be delayed if an appeal moves forward. He remains jailed in Las Vegas.
Evidence Includes Suspect’s Own Words
Prosecutors say their case is bolstered by Davis’ own admissions in interviews and his 2019 memoir, where he described obtaining a .40-caliber handgun and handing it to his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson. Davis and Anderson, along with two others now deceased, were in the car from which the shots were fired, according to authorities.
Anderson, who had been involved in a brawl with Shakur at a casino shortly before the shooting, denied any involvement before his death in 1998. Davis is the last surviving suspect in the case.
Tupac’s Enduring Legacy
Shakur’s death shocked the music world as his fourth solo album, All Eyez on Me, dominated the charts, selling over 5 million copies. Nominated for six Grammy Awards, Shakur remains one of the most influential figures in hip-hop history, known for his lyrical versatility and activism.
Davis, a former leader of a Crips gang sect in Compton, California, was arrested in September 2023 near Las Vegas, nearly 30 years after the killing that remains one of the most notorious mysteries in music history.
