The trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, entered its eighth day on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with emotional testimony and further evidence presented by prosecutors.
The day began later than expected, pushed back from a 9 a.m. start to 1 p.m., with uncertainty over the witness order. On Tuesday, Malcolm Greenidge — better known as “E.D.I. Mean” of the Outlawz — testified about his close relationship with Shakur and recalled the night of September 7, 1996. Greenidge said he was in a car behind Suge Knight and Tupac as they headed to Club 662 when the fatal drive-by shooting occurred. He described being horrified and recounted what Shakur told him moments after being shot.
Former Compton Police Department gang detective Robert Ladd also took the stand, insisting that the department’s dissolution was not due to corruption. He testified that Davis held a high rank in the Southside Crips and, if present in the vehicle used in the shooting, would have been the “shot caller.”
Prosecutors presented documents found in search warrants, including a “money due bill” for the Monte Carlo resort, though the date was unclear. They also played clips of Davis in court and from interviews, including his own words from VLADTV and The Art of Dialogue, as well as passages from his memoir Compton Street Legend. In one clip, Davis said: “I beat the federal govt, cancer & the streets.”
Judge officials reminded Davis of his right to testify, which he acknowledged. Defense attorney Michael Sanft noted that witnesses lined up could not appear today, requesting to resume with police testimony tomorrow. Prosecutors indicated the state may rest its case by Monday.
With Greenidge’s testimony, gang expert analysis, and Davis’s own recorded words now part of the record, the trial continues to piece together one of hip-hop’s most infamous unsolved murders. The proceedings are scheduled to resume Thursday afternoon in Clark County District Court.
