Former gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for his role in the 1996 killing of American rap icon Tupac Shakur, bringing a major development in one of the most closely followed murder cases in hip-hop history.
Davis, 63, was found guilty in September of one count of murder with a deadly weapon in connection with the fatal drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on 7 September 1996. He has indicated that he intends to appeal the conviction.
Although Davis did not fire the fatal shots himself, prosecutors argued that he orchestrated the attack and supplied the firearm used in the killing. His conviction marked the first successful prosecution in a case that had remained unsolved for nearly three decades.
During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo accused Davis of repeatedly boasting about his involvement in Shakur’s death. He argued that Davis had spent years “publicly grandstanding” about the killing, which he said *“had wide-ranging effects upon the world”.
Shakur’s relatives addressed the court before the sentence was handed down, describing the lasting impact of his death on their family.
His sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, told the court that losing her brother had left the family devastated.
She said; “The loss of Tupac, for a long time, crippled my family.”
She also spoke about her brother’s ambitions and his desire to make a difference in his community, saying, “He had so much promise, intentions for a better world.”
Sekyiwa urged the judge to impose the maximum possible sentence, telling Davis that he would have to “contemplate what you’ve done to the world, not just to me” while behind bars.
Shakur’s brother, Maurice Shakur, also appealed for the harshest possible punishment, asking the judge to impose the longest possible sentence.
When Judge Carli Kierny gave Davis an opportunity to address the court, he maintained that he would challenge the outcome.
He said; “I’m good. I’m gonna appeal this case for sure.”
Before announcing the sentence, Kierny stressed the seriousness of the crime and the permanent loss suffered by Shakur’s family.
The judge told Davis; “You don’t get to take a man from his family. You don’t get to take his very life, his whole future from him, and just walk away from it. Especially when that man is Tupac Shakur. The world never forgot about him and his death.”
