A judge denied a request to release Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a former Los Angeles-area gang leader accused of killing hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur in 1996, on Tuesday, citing worries about the source of his bond funds.
Clark District Court Judge Carli Kierny suspected a cover-up involving the money that was supposed to fund Davis’ $750,000 bond.
Davis’ attorney had offered the submission of further financial documentation to indicate that the funds were acquired legally and that neither Davis nor the music record entrepreneur who provided the money, Cash “Wack 100” Jones, intended to profit from Davis’ life story.
However, Kierny remained suspicious, pointing out concerns about two similar letters she received that appeared to be from the entertainment company that reportedly gave the funds. One of the letters was signed by someone with no known connection to the company.
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Davis has been seeking release since his arrest in September 2023, becoming the only person ever charged in the killing of Tupac Shakur. Prosecutors allege that the shooting, which also injured rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight, was part of a rivalry between East Coast and West Coast gang factions involved in the “gangsta rap” scene.
Previously, Kierny had rejected Jones’ offer to contribute $112,500 to Davis’ bond, citing fears that the money could be used to profit from the crime. Nevada’s “slayer statute” forbids convicted murders from benefitting from their crimes.
Jones, who has managed artists like Johnathan “Blueface” Porter and Jayceon “The Game” Taylor, testified in June that he wanted to help Davis because Davis was battling cancer and had been a significant figure in the urban community.
Davis has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. The judge also postponed the start of his trial from November 4 to March 17, 2024.
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