Diddy’s bodyguard, ex-Mayor of Vegas, & Nevada governor Joe Lombardo among high-profile witnesses at Tupac murder trial

THE trial of a self-confessed Los Angeles gangster charged with the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur is set to feature several high-profile witnesses. Jury selection in the murder trial of Duane “Keefe D” Davis, 63, is set to begin on Monday almost 30 years after the All Eyez on Me rapper, 25, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas Strip in September 1996. Duane ‘Keefe D.’ Davis appears in court in Las Vegas for a hearing in August 2024 Credit: News Enterprises Inc Rapper Tupac Shakur performs at the Regal Theater in Chicago in March 1994 Credit: Getty For decades, the unsolved murder of Shakur has gripped the rap music world, with many of the key suspects involved in the shooting also falling victim to gang violence. At the time of his death, Shakur was in the midst of a bitter feud for rap dominance between East and West Coast music factions led by Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ Bad Boy Records and Suge Knight‘s Death Row Records. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Davis, who was arrested outside his home in Henderson, Nevada, in September 2023, has repeatedly denied killing or orchestrating Shakur’s murder. However, despite his recent pleas, Davis spent years making public statements about his involvement in the shooting and about his past life as a drug dealer and Compton street gang head honcho. Read more in The U.S. Sun But as his case played out in court, Davis has attempted to distance himself from his past egregious comments in media interviews and in his memoir Compton Street Legend. Davis claimed all his confessions about being the shot caller for Shakur’s killing were lies to garner fame and fortune. Ahead of jury selection on Monday, a list of 45 potential witnesses that prosecutors plan to call to the stand was released. The list includes key players who were directly involved in the brawl at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the night of September 7, 1996. Most read in The Sun Shakur and his crew, including Death Row Records founder Knight, were caught on video attacking Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, the nephew of Davis, in the lobby of the casino-hotel. Anderson was a member of the Southside Compton Crips gang who had previously robbed Death Row Records associate Travon Lane, a reputed member of the rival Bloods street gang, of his chain at a shopping mall. The incident is believed to have ultimately led to the ambush drive-by shooting later that evening that resulted in Shakur’s death. Knight, who is serving a 28-year sentence after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in 2018, and Lane are expected to be called to testify at Davis’ upcoming trial, according to court records. Other witnesses include Reggie Wright Jr., the former head of security of Death Row Records, former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Republican Governor and former Las Vegas Metro officer Joe Lombardo, and several of Shakur’s relatives. Additional names mentioned include Kirk Burrowes, the founder of Bad Boy Records, Eugene Deal, Combs‘ former bodyguard, Yusuf Jah, the co-author of Davis’ book, and Frank Alexander, Shakur’s bodyguard on the night of his murder. Davis’ trial is expected to last five weeks. Former Oscar Goodman (left), pictured in November 2019, is expected to testify for the state in Duane ‘Keefe D’ Davis’ upcoming murder trial Credit: Getty Marion ‘Suge’ Knight, pictured at his October 2018 sentencing, is listed as a witness for the state’s case against Davis Credit: Getty Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo is also listed as a state witnesses in their case against Davis Credit: Getty Duane Davis pictured in a Las Vegas courtroom for a hearing in August 2024 Credit: News Enterprises Inc Defense attorney Mike Sanft told The U.S. Sun his client is not expected to take the stand at his murder trial. Weeks before the start of his trial, Davis made a desperate bid to escape the charges against him, arguing he was “exercising his First Amendment right to free speech” when he boasted about Shakur’s murder. Sanft also rebuked the reports claiming Davis was considering accepting a plea deal with prosecutors. “Some clients go for a plea deal because you do have some control over the negotiation with the DA compared to a verdict by 12 strangers,”Sanft told The U.S. Sun. “Here’s my problem, Keefe’s been in custody now for three years, and it’s standard operating procedure for the DA’s office, at some point, to offer a deal that says, basically: ‘Well, Keefe, you could take, five to 15, you’ve already done three, and you’ll have to do two more and you’re out.’ “And then DA Steve Wolfson would tell the public: ‘He’s accepted responsibility, you may be disappointed in the amount of time but we’ve spoken with the family and we believe that justice has been served for everybody involved.’ “Thank you and then can just take that scalp. Bulls**t. Of course, I have to give Keefe every option because I’m bound by that ethically, and Keefe will make his final call. “If it’s something he wants to do fine. But I would tell Keefe over and over again that the only offer that makes sense right now is a dismissal.” Sanft continued, “And I would lift the second part of the requirement, and that there is a written apology from Steven Wolfson to even charge the case. “It’s right that they walk into court and say, ‘Your Honor, we don’t have this case the way we want it against Mr. Davis. We are asking for a dismissal.’ “They’re playing with people’s lives in the walking with half-baked, impure evidence. “Let’s see what the jury decides. You’re playing with a person’s life. Look at the totality of the case, and the way that they conducted their investigation. “You’re gonna understand why I’m so frustrated with this, because, in essence, they didn’t drive to the level what I believe a Metropolitan Police officer could do on a case. “Especially one of this calibre. Their product is half baked and impure. And it just falls far short of the standard of performance that they have as police officers.”