LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas jury discovered the person accused of orchestrating the homicide of Tupac Shakur responsible Wednesday for a jail combat unrelated to the rap icon’s demise.
The one-day trial was for 2 prices related to a jail combat involving Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 61.
Davis, who faces a homicide cost in Shakur’s demise, has publicly mentioned he was sitting within the entrance passenger seat of the automobile concerned within the 1996 homicide close to the Las Vegas Strip. Final December, Davis was concerned in a combat contained in the Clark County Detention Middle with one other inmate, video confirmed.
Prosecutors later charged Davis with battery by a prisoner and difficult an individual to a combat. They needed to show the combat with Rochlon Hamilton, 53, one other inmate in custody on a homicide cost, was not self-defense.
Clark County District Court docket Choose Nadia Krall seated the jury of six males and eight girls on Tuesday. It took the jury 90 minutes to return to its responsible verdict.
Earlier this 12 months, Davis invoked his proper to a speedy trial, which started Wednesday morning. The trial on the homicide cost was not anticipated to begin till 2026.
Video the 8 Information Now Investigators obtained exhibits the 2 males rolling on the bottom in a jail day room for about 30 seconds earlier than officers separate them.
In opening statements, Chief Deputy District Legal professional Marc DiGiacomo performed video of the combat and defined to the jury what Davis later mentioned in jail telephone calls.
“I wore his [expletive] out,” DiGiacomo advised the jury about what Davis mentioned to a different individual in a jail name. “I’m happy with myself.”
FILE – Duane “Keffe D” Davis seems in courtroom for a listening to on a movement to dismiss prices for his involvement within the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, Jan. 21, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Pool Picture through AP, File)
“At the end of this case, we are going to ask you by your verdict to tell Mr. Davis that what he did was unlawful,” DiGiacomo mentioned.
Davis’ legal professional, Carl Arnold, advised the jury Davis was the sufferer and was “attacked.”
“You will see that my client notices Mr. Hamilton,” Arnold mentioned. “Mr. Hamilton came and moved quite a distance to Mr. Davis… who at this time doesn’t have his hands up. This guy is poised and ready to strike. The officer is totally unaware what was going on.”
Patrick Grey, the LVMPD corrections officer who investigated the combat, testified about what he discovered and the way the jail works. Grey mentioned Davis and Hamilton’s cells have been two cells aside.
“They are housed in their cells and they exercise, take showers, and have free time alone in their cells as well,” Grey mentioned concerning the unit the place the jail housed Davis and Hamilton. “[Davis and Hamilton] had this ongoing battle between the doors.”
Each inmates advised one another “What’s up?” earlier than the combat started, DiGiacomo mentioned. Grey testified that two inmates saying “What’s up?” to one another was a method to entice a combat.
Throughout cross-examination, Arnold argued Hamilton’s physique language implied he was the aggressor.
“I don’t know what his intentions were, sir,” Grey mentioned as Arnold confirmed video from the seconds earlier than the combat started. “It looks like his foot is going forward, but it doesn’t look like he’s getting ready to run or anything.”
Grey didn’t converse with LVMPD Officer Ari Keim, who was escorting Davis into the unit on the time of the combat, Grey testified. As a substitute, he relied on Keim’s written report, including that the video had no audio and he couldn’t verify what the inmates mentioned to one another earlier than the altercation. Arnold’s questions then targeted on jail insurance policies and why Davis was escorted into the room if one other inmate was already in there.
“There was not a breach of security; it’s not a violation of policy,” Grey mentioned, including there was no method Davis and Hamilton would have recognized they’d have crossed paths that day.
Prosecutors subsequent referred to as Keim to the stand. He defined his duties and mentioned he heard the 2 males say “What’s up” to one another earlier than the combat started.
Keim couldn’t say which man hit whom first.
“I would describe them both standing in an assaultive position,” Keim mentioned.
The state’s subsequent witness, retired LVMPD Detective Clifford Mogg, labored on Metro’s case in opposition to Davis involving Shakur’s demise. After Mogg’s retirement, the Clark County District Legal professional’s Workplace employed Mogg as a contractor to work on Davis’ homicide case. Mogg has since listened to recorded calls Davis makes from jail.
Prosecutors then performed 5 calls Davis created from jail, together with one the place Davis tells his son he bought right into a combat and “bodyslammed” a “little dude.” Based on Mogg, Davis tells his son that he “won” the combat and was ready to “stomp” on Hamilton.
“I told him every time he sees me he has to get a lump,” Davis mentioned in a single name about Hamilton, in response to Mogg.
“I [expletive] up,” Davis mentioned in one other automobile, referencing a dialog he had with a California legal professional. “I got his [expletive]. I let him know you can’t [expletive] with me, little man.”
In one other name, Davis seems to reference the 8 Information Now Investigators’ reporting of video of the combat, telling his son he would “beat” the case,” Mogg mentioned.
Following the three witnesses, each prosecutors and the protection rested their case.
Nevada statute requires a doable jail sentence of 1-20 years, plus a further 12 months in jail, ought to the jury convict Davis. Davis has remained in custody since his arrest on the homicide cost in September 2023.
Krall will sentence Davis on Might 27.
Hamilton was resulting from go on trial on related prices in October.
8 Information Now’s the one native TV station contained in the courtroom.
