Slain rapper Tupac Shakur and alleged gang leader Duane Keith Davis. Davis was found guilty of the rapper’s 1996 murder in Las Vegas (Photo courtesy of hin.be).

By David L. Snelling
South Florida Times

A Las Vegas jury found alleged gang leader Duane Keith Davis guilty of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon in the death of rap artist Tupac Shakur, bringing an end to a case that took 30 years to solve.

Davis, 62, stood motionless as the verdict was being read, and may spend the rest of his life in prison when he is sentenced next month.

The murder trial lasted over two weeks with emotional testimonies from both sides, as prosecutors painted Davis with an evil brush as the leader of the notorious South Side Compton Crips.

According to prosecutors, Davis might not have pulled the trigger but was the mastermind behind the deadly drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas strip in September 1996.

They said Davis was in the vehicle when he handed the gun to the shooter who emptied rounds in the car driven by Death Row President and CEO Suge Knight while Shakur was riding in the passenger seat.

Prosecutors said the shooting was in retaliation over a fight between Shakur, Knight and Davis’ cousin at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino which hosted the Mike Tyson-Bruce Sheldon fight.

Davis’ lawyers argued that their client was not involved in the incident.