Witnesses to Tupac Shakur’s killing testify in first day of Duane Davis murder trial
What we learned in court today
• The trial of Duane Keith Davis, who is charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon in the death of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur, began with opening statements Monday morning in Las Vegas from both sides.
• Prosecutors called Shakur’s 1996 killing “an act of revenge” and said Davis showed “visceral anger” at Shakur for years. Meanwhile, the defense argued there is a lack of facts in the case.
• The jury heard testimony from four witnesses — including an officer who pulled over Marion “Suge” Knight and Shakur the night of the shooting and a woman who was in the car ahead of Knight and Shakur when the shooting happened. Several of Shakur’s family members, including his sister, were also present in the courtroom.
• Prosecutors do not claim Davis fired the shots that killed Shakur 30 years ago, but instead allege he orchestrated the killing in retaliation for an assault on his nephew. Davis, 63, has pleaded not guilty.
