Tupac Murder Trial Opens Against 'Keffe D' Davis

Has Keffe D already confessed, was he sensationalizing for profit or could this be about something other than gang violence?

Published AUG 17

Tupac Murder Trial Opens Against 'Keffe D' Davis

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Above: Duane Davis during his murder trial in Las Vegas, Nev., on Aug. 17. Image credit: Steve Marcus/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

Keffe D spent decades bragging about his role in Tupac's murder — on BET, in podcasts and in a memoir he co-authored — and now wants the public to believe it was all fiction. The man literally built a brand around being the last living witness to one of hip-hop's biggest crimes. His own words are the prosecution's strongest evidence, and no amount of backpedaling changes what he said for profit over nearly thirty years.

Iheartradio The New York Times

Narrative B

Charging someone with murder based almost entirely on self-promoting statements, a co-authored memoir and paid-informant interviews is a shaky foundation for justice. No murder weapon, no car and no independent eyewitnesses means the case rests on stories that may be exaggerated, partly fictional or shaped by financial incentives. Convicting a man because the public wants closure is not the same thing as proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

AllHipHop EURweb

Establishment-critical narrative

Tupac's murder may have been bigger than Keffe D or a gang feud. Tupac used his fame to promote a gang-truce movement encouraging rivals to make peace, abandon drug dealing and organize politically. Sources have pointed to alleged ties among Death Row, corrupt police and federal intelligence, while former LAPD detective Russell Poole believed officers connected to Death Row were involved in the killing. If Tupac threatened powerful interests, their involvement could still be hidden.

CovertAction Magazine