Duane Davis gave conflicting accounts about night of Tupac Shakur shooting

Accused in the murder of Shakur, Davis told documentarians in 2017 that he didn't know the shooter's identity.LAS VEGAS (CN) — The man on trial for the murder of Tupac Shakur denied in a recording heard Monday that his nephew fired the shots that took the rapper’s life in 1996.Duane “Keffe D” Davis, in a 2017 interview for a documentary, said he ducked after hearing shots fired on Sept. 7, 1996. Six days later, Shakur — a renowned musician with Death Row Records — died.“Who’s closest?” a man asked Davis. “Who had the gun?"“I don’t know, sir, to tell you the truth,” Davis, 63, answered. “All I was ducking.”However, the man authorities say was a former shot caller for the South Side Compton Crips had a different story in a 2008 interview with law enforcement. In that interview, Davis said he was in a car with three other men, including his nephew, Orlando Anderson. Driving near the Las Vegas Strip, they stumbled upon Shakur and “Suge” Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records, in another vehicle.Davis has said he was angry over a beating his nephew received earlier that night in the MGM Grand. Jurors have heard Shakur participated in that attack.In 2008, Davis said he handed a gun to Deandre “Dre” Smith, who passed it to Anderson. Davis’ nephew then fired.Anderson died in a 1998 shooting in Compton, California.“How many, how many times did, ah, Orlando fire, approximately?” an officer asked Davis in the 2008 interview.“Think about five or six,” Davis said.Davis has pleaded not guilty.Prosecutors have argued Davis’ anger over his nephew’s attack helped fuel the Shakur shooting. During the trial, now in its second week, they’ve called witnesses who were near the shooting scene. Leonard Jefferson, who took the last known photograph of Shakur while alive, testified last week that he was following the rapper’s convoy when the shooting happened.“I see Suge getting out of the car,” Jefferson said. “You hear Suge yell, ‘My man Pac is shot. Pac is shot.’”Jurors also have heard about a rivalry between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records, the latter run by Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs.Davis has claimed Combs offered $1 million to kill Shakur. Combs, currently incarcerated on prostitution-related charges, faces no accusations in connection with Shakur’s death. He has denied Davis’ claims.Shakur’s killing has sparked several books and documentaries. One of those was “Death Row Chronicles,” which Davis opted to give interviews for in 2017.Some details Davis provided in 2008 and 2017 appeared similar. Davis placed himself in Las Vegas on the night of Shakur’s shooting and in a vehicle at the shooting scene.However, Davis offered different information about the shooter’s identity in 2017.“So, you’re denying that you ever said that Orlando was ever the shooter?” a man asked Davis.“Yes, I’m denying it,” Davis said.“And your statement now is that you were in the car and shots rang out in your car, but you didn’t know who did it?” the man asked.“Exactly,” Davis answered. “It came from the backseat.”Interviewers asked Davis to give advice to people who’d heard about his life. He said they should avoid the mistakes he’s made, as he had grandchildren. His former lifestyle wasn’t worth it.Representing Davis, defense attorney Michael Sanft has argued his client would “bullshit.” He’s also argued prosecutors wouldn’t be able to prove his client was in Las Vegas at the time of the Shakur shooting.“One last time, you said the shots came from the back,” an interviewer asked Davis in 2017. “Big Dre. Orlando. Who shot Tupac?”“I’m going to keep it for the code of the streets,” Davis said. “It just came from the backseat, bro.”Categories / Arts, Criminal, MediaSubscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads