After spending seven months behind bars, Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the man accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of iconic rapper Tupac Shakur, has been released on $750,000 bail.
The decision by Judge Carli Kierny on Tuesday came after a lengthy hearing where Davis’s attorneys argued that he was not a flight risk or a danger to the community. Prosecutors, however, vehemently opposed the bail, calling Davis a “cold-blooded killer” and expressing concern that he could flee or tamper with witnesses.
“Mr. Davis has a long history of violence and is a known associate of several dangerous individuals,” said Deputy District Attorney Christopher Chestnut. “Releasing him into the community would put the public at risk.”
Davis’s attorneys countered that the prosecution’s case was weak and that he was being unfairly targeted because of his past association with the Crips gang.
“Mr. Davis is innocent until proven guilty,” said his attorney, Richard Schonfeld. “He has every right to be released on bail while he awaits trial.”
Judge Kierny ultimately sided with the defense, setting bail at $750,000 and ordering Davis to wear an ankle monitor and refrain from contacting any potential witnesses.
“The court finds that the defendant has met his burden of proof to be released on bail,” Kierny said. “However, he must abide by the strict conditions of his release.”
The release of Davis is going to reignite interest in the unsolved murder of Tupac Shakur, which has remained a source of speculation and conspiracy theories for over two decades. Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 13, 1996. Davis was one of several suspects initially questioned in the case, but he was not arrested until last September.
Davis has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and is scheduled to go on trial later this year. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
