Wata kotu for Las Vegas don sentence Duane ‘Keffe D‘ Davis to at least 40 years for prison because he orchestrate the murder of rap superstar Tupac Shakur. Jury find Davis, 63, guilty in September on one count of murder with deadly weapon for the drive-by shooting wey kill Tupac for Las Vegas on 7 September 1996. Davis talk say he go appeal the verdict.
Prosecutors argue say even though Davis no fire the gun himself, na him be ringleader of the group wey commit the murder. He admit inside him memoir say na him provide the gun wey dem use for the crime. The conviction na the first for a cold case wey don hold hip-hop fans attention for nearly 30 years.
Prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo during Tuesday sentencing hearing argue say Davis spend years publicly grandstanding and bragging about him role for Shakur death, which he say had wide-ranging effects upon the world. Shakur sister Sekyiwa Shakur tell court say loss of Tupac crippled her family for long time. She say he had so much promise, intentions for better world. She add say her brother hope to help him local community. Sekyiwa Shakur ask judge to give Davis maximum sentence, tell Davis say he go sit for prison and contemplate wetin he do to the world, not just to her. Shakur brother Maurice Shakur also address court, ask judge for longest possible sentence.
Judge Carli Kierny ask Davis if he get anything to say, he reply: ‘I’m good. I’m gonna appeal this case for sure.’ Before she hand down sentence, Kierny tell him: ‘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.’
Key evidence na Davis own words. He repeatedly and publicly acknowledge say he dey inside white Cadillac from where deadly shots fire. In exchange for being shielded from criminal prosecution, he tell authorities about him role in Shakur death during secret 2008 police interview relating to death of fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G., real name Christopher Wallace, who dem kill for shooting just months after Shakur. Davis elaborate further for him 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, which lead to publicity and media interviews. But the book and interviews he offer elaborating on him role in Shakur killing void a protective agreement he establish with authorities wey block any criminal charges from being filed. A judge then allow him police interview to be used in murder trial against him.
Journalist Cathy Scott, who first cover murder of Shakur for 1990s and later write book about it, comment say one thing she believe be say Davis no know say murder no get statute of limitations. Speaking to BBC World Service Newsday programme, Scott reflect why case capture public imagination for so long: ‘You have a star as big as that and then you have Vegas, of all places. and I think all of those things amounted to the story just taking off, everybody and their brother was covering it.’ Scott add: ‘I don’t think it would have been as big if there hadn’t been such a mystery around not solving it. And that’s why 30 years later, it’s even bigger now.’
Shakur bin 25 years old and at height of him career as one of rap most influential voices when he die. He don sell more than 75 million records worldwide. For three decades, investigation into him killing remain one of America most famous cold cases, spurring countless conspiracies – until conviction of Davis last month.
Throughout trial, Davis defence team try to persuade jurors say him comments na fiction – bravado and exaggeration intended to sell books and make money. Prosecutors argue say although Davis, former leader of South Side Compton Crips street gang, no fire gun himself, he order shooting and supply gun wey him nephew Orlando Anderson use open fire. Anderson die for unrelated shooting in 1998, having deny involvement in killing of Shakur.
