Duane “Keefe D” Davis, the former gang member charged in connection with the shooting death of Tupac Shakur, can be released on house arrest while awaiting trial – that is if he can post a $750,000 bail, a judge ruled on Tuesday.
According to ABC News, Judge Carli Kierny also ruled the 60-year-old suspect would have to wear an electronic monitoring device during that period. The recent ruling comes after Davis was arrested on September 29, 2023, over the legendary rapper’s murder in Las Vegas. He has since been held without bail on a charge of open murder with the use of a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement.
Davis’ attorney, Robert Arroyo, during the hearing on Tuesday, argued his client posed no danger to the community, adding that he is also working legally and would have fled years ago “if he was going to run.”
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“If Duane is so dangerous, if this case is so overwhelming, his guilt is so overwhelming … why did [authorities] wait 15 years to make the arrest?” said Arroyo. The 60-year-old’s lawyers also requested for his bail to not go beyond $100,000.
But prosecutors argued Davis should either remain in custody or be given a high bail as he “presents a very, very high danger to the community” – especially to witnesses who could take the stand against him when his trial commences. Prosecutors also made mention of an October conversation Davis had with his son. They said the pair used the phrase “green light” and claimed it meant “authorization to kill”, ABC News reported.
The suspect’s lawyers, however, argued that was not the case as Davis never intended to harm the people who could testify against him. The defense argued Davis was rather worried about street gossip of his family being in danger.
Prior to setting his bail, Kierny, during the hearing, made mention of many factors to consider – such as how long Davis has stayed in Henderson, Nevada, and his solid family relationship.
Responding to the decision, Clark County District Attorney Steven Wolfson told reporters that he had no issues as the judge was “conscientious and thorough” with the ruling.
“We believe he is still a danger to the community, he is a danger to some of the witnesses and others,” Wolfson said. “My prosecutors argued just that, and I believe the judge agreed with our arguments today.”
Shakur was 25 when he was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He succumbed to his injuries on September 13.
Davis, a suspect long on investigators’ radar, has openly acknowledged his presence in the Cadillac during the fatal drive-by shooting of Tupac. In his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” Davis detailed his involvement. He also claimed in the book that he provided the murder weapon.
Davis’ arrest also came on the heels of a police raid on his wife’s Henderson residence, during which authorities sought evidence related to Shakur’s killing, according to CBS News.
The police seized various items during the raid, including multiple computers, a cellphone, a hard drive, a Vibe magazine featuring Shakur, 40-caliber bullets, photograph-filled containers, and a copy of Davis’ 2019 memoir.
Following his arrest, Las Vegas police homicide Lt. Jason Johansson said Davis was the “shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime,” adding that the suspect “orchestrated the plan that was carried out.”
The 60-year-old’s next court appearance is set for February 20. His trial is also scheduled to commence on June 3.
