Key points

• Duane "Keffe D" Davis sentenced to 40 years to life in prison
• District Judge Carli Kierny handed down the sentence Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Davis is the only person ever charged in Shakur's 1996 killing

Duane "Keffe D" Davis was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years to life in prison for orchestrating the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur near the Las Vegas Strip.

Clark County District Judge Carli Kierny imposed 20 years to life for first-degree murder and another 20 years to life for using a deadly weapon, according to Variety and other outlets.

First conviction in 30 years

Shakur was 25 when he was shot near the Strip on Sept. 7, 1996. Davis, a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, is the only person ever criminally charged in the case, and his is the only conviction.

A jury found Davis guilty of first-degree murder on Aug. 31 after deliberating for less than three hours.

Prosecutors had notified the court that Shakur's relatives would address the judge at sentencing. Family members cried and embraced in the courtroom, NBC Los Angeles reported.

Appeal expected

Prosecutors built their case largely on Davis' own statements, including police interviews and a 2019 memoir. His attorneys disputed those statements, and Davis denied any role in the killing in jailhouse interviews with 8 News Now. FOX5 reported that he is expected to appeal.

Sources KTNV · FOX5 · Review-Journal · 8 News Now · CNN · Variety · NBC Los Angeles · The Washington Times
Photo Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

KoreanVegas wrote this article with AI assistance, based on the reports above.