- Tupac Shakur murder suspect Duane "Keffe D" Davis denied bail again
- Judge questions legitimacy of bail funds and potential profit motive
- Trial pushed back to March next year, Davis maintains not guilty plea
A judge in the United States has denied bail to Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the man charged in connection with the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur. The former Los Angeles gang leader, who is currently ailing, remains the sole individual charged in relation to the drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of the renowned hip-hop artist.
Davis, who has been in custody since his arrest in September 2023, has made multiple requests for bail, set at $750,000, but each has been denied. Prosecutors allege that the shooting was the outcome of gang rivalries, with Davis being affiliated with one of the involved gangs.
Judge Carli Kierny, in her recent ruling, expressed concerns regarding the legitimacy of the bail funds. She noted her doubts about the transparency of the financial sources, suggesting that there might be attempts to obscure their true origin. Additionally, Judge Kierny questioned whether Davis and the music executive backing the bail were planning to profit from the sale of Davis’s life story, a concern given Nevada’s legal prohibition against convicted killers benefiting financially from their crimes.
Davis has pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder. The judge also rescheduled the start of his trial from November 4 to March of the following year.
