The family of the late rapper Tupac Shakur has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Los Angeles, seeking damages related to the artist’s murder in 1996. The lawsuit aims to uncover several “co-conspirators” who may have been involved in the star’s death, expanding the investigation beyond the only person charged so far.
Details of the Los Angeles wrongful death lawsuit
The lawsuit names Duane “Keefe D” Davis, a former gang leader, as the main defendant. Davis is currently awaiting trial for his alleged role in Tupac’s shooting and has pleaded not guilty. The family alleges a “complex conspiracy” behind the murder and hopes to identify others involved through the discovery process in the lawsuit.
Duane Davis was charged with murder in September 2023. Authorities claim he planned the shooting with his nephew after an altercation with Tupac in a casino. Prosecutors describe Davis as the “on-ground, on-site commander” who ordered the killing. Police say Davis obtained the gun from an unnamed associate and admitted to being in the vehicle from which the shots were fired, though the actual shooter has not been identified. The three other men in the car at the time, including Davis’s nephew, have since died.
Background on Tupac Shakur and the case
Tupac Shakur was a prominent rapper in the early 1990s, selling over 75 million records and starring in films such as Juice, Above The Rim, and Poetic Justice. His career ended abruptly when he was shot four times in a drive-by attack in Las Vegas. He died six days later at age 25.
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed by Tupac’s brother, Maurice Shakur, who is acting as the administrator of the estate of their late stepfather, Mutulu Shakur. The lawsuit references grand jury transcripts and a Netflix documentary titled Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which suggest a broader conspiracy beyond retaliation for a prior altercation.
Allegations and new evidence sought
The lawsuit seeks to identify individuals who may have participated in planning, financing, directing, or carrying out the conspiracy to murder Tupac. It cites new sources of information, including grand jury transcripts from Davis’s criminal case and interviews from the Netflix documentary.
The documentary includes a police interview in which Davis claims that Sean Combs offered him $1 million to kill Tupac. Combs has denied any involvement and described the documentary as “a shameful hit piece.” The BBC has contacted representatives for both Combs and Davis for comment on the lawsuit.