A jury has found Duane "Keffe D" Davis guilty of staging a murder plot of rap icon Tupac Shakur, bringing an end to the case that gripped hip-hop fans for decades. Davis was charged with murdering rapper Tupac Shakur using a deadly weapon in a way that was meant to advance the interests of a criminal gang.
The trial continued for several weeks, and the jury took less than three hours to reach its verdict on Monday. Over the course of nine days, the panel consisting of 16 jurors listened to statements from 24 prosecution witnesses and three defence witnesses. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment. Davis, 63, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After the verdict was read, Shakur's sister broke into tears, hugging the prosecutors, while Davis' son hid his face with one hand. Shakur, who was recognised as one of the most influential rappers of all time, was staying in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, when he was stopped at a red light. A white Cadillac drove up next to him, and shots were fired before he succumbed to his injuries.
For years, nobody had been charged in the rapper's death until Davis made public statements revealing he was in the Cadillac. As per Nevada law, someone who acts as an accomplice to commit murder can be convicted of the crime. Davis now faces sentencing, which is scheduled for October.