2Pac Murder Suspect Keefe D Receives Trial Date, Avoids Death Penalty if Convicted
Keefe D, identified as a suspect in the murder of renowned rapper 2Pac, has been scheduled for trial starting on June 3, 2024. The alleged murder took place in Las Vegas in September 1996 following a Mike Tyson fight.
Appearing in court alongside his public defender attorneys on Tuesday (November 7), Keefe D, whose real name is Duane Davis, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He will remain in custody until the trial commences in the upcoming summer.
While Nevada is a state that implements capital punishment, prosecutors have decided not to pursue the death penalty for Keefe D if he is found guilty.
Keefe D, now 60 and claiming to have been diagnosed with cancer, remains the sole individual charged with 2Pac’s murder following his arrest in September.
Despite maintaining his innocence, Keefe D has previously made various claims, including confessions in his 2019 book ‘Compton Street Legend,’ where he detailed involvement in the shooting of 2Pac.
According to Nevada prosecutors, 2Pac was engaged in a casino altercation with known Crips gang member Orlando Anderson, who happens to be Keefe D’s nephew, on the night of the fatal shooting.
Reports suggest that Anderson was in the car with Keefe D during the drive-by shooting, with some accounts alleging his involvement as the gunman. However, Anderson himself was killed in an unrelated gang shooting in 1998.
The incident that claimed 2Pac’s life also resulted in injuries to Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight, who is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter.
Knight addressed Keefe D’s arrest in a prison interview with TMZ, expressing his unwillingness to testify against the former gang member if summoned during the trial.
In his statement, Knight mentioned his surprise at Keefe D’s arrest, highlighting their shared history in a Pop Warner football team. He emphasized his aversion to witnessing anyone, including Keefe D, facing imprisonment, regardless of their involvement in the situation, indicating he would not wish incarceration on his worst enemy.
