Defense Attorney Accuses Jury of Bias in Tupac Shakur Murder Case

Michael Sanft, the defense attorney for Duane “Keffe D” Davis, criticized the jury’s decision to convict Davis of first-degree murder for the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur. Sanft alleges that the jury held “preconceived notions” about Davis. He expressed surprise at the verdict reached after less than three hours of deliberation. Sanft believes the jury overlooked significant evidence.

Under Nevada law, there is no set time for jury deliberation. Sanft admitted to having “bigger issues” to address at the trial’s start, focusing on pre-trial motions about admissible evidence. The prosecution argued that Davis orchestrated the September 6, 1996, drive-by shooting in retaliation for an earlier assault on his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson. The prosecution claimed that Davis procured the firearm used in the shooting, where Shakur was killed and Marion “Suge” Knight was injured.

During the trial, Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo asserted that the evidence against Davis was compelling. Prosecutors played audio from a 2008 interview where Davis stated that Anderson fired the shots after receiving the gun from Davis. Anderson, who was never charged, died in an unrelated shooting 20 months later. Davis, who denied the charges, reportedly invalidated a previous agreement for immunity through his 2019 book “Compton Street Legend” and various public statements.

Sanft criticized Judge Carli Kierny’s approval of evidence about Davis’ past “bad acts” related to gang leadership and drug trafficking. He also challenged the jury instructions that no corroborating evidence was necessary if Davis’ own statements were believed. Comparing the trial to a football match with a lopsided score, Sanft expressed the difficulty of undermining his client’s credibility when the conviction relied heavily on Davis’ statements.

Sanft argued that no actual proof placed Davis in Las Vegas on the shooting day, claiming a lack of concrete evidence backing the conviction. Sanft plans to appeal, a process that may take over a year, as Davis faces sentencing on October 13 with the potential of a life sentence.