Autopsy Photos Shown at Duane Davis Trial as Tupac Family Leaves Courtroom
Tupac Shakur's family left the courtroom as prosecutors displayed autopsy photos at Duane 'Keffe D' Davis's murder trial.
Some members of Tupac Shakur's family walked out of a Las Vegas courtroom before prosecutors displayed autopsy photos of the slain rapper, a charged moment in the ongoing murder trial of Duane 'Keffe D' Davis. Shakur's cousin, who remained or returned, described feeling 'very angry, to say the least' after seeing the images. Davis, a Death Row Records-connected figure, is the sole defendant charged in connection with Shakur's 1996 drive-by shooting death in Las Vegas. A separate flashpoint came when James McDonald, described as an associate of Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight, took the stand and warned attorneys, 'You better treat me as a hostile witness.' McDonald also told the court, 'Me or anybody else bringing up the dead is wrong,' signaling the contentious atmosphere surrounding witness testimony in the case. Shakur, 25, was shot on September 7, 1996, after attending a Mike Tyson boxing match and died six days later. Davis was indicted in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege he was in the vehicle from which the fatal shots were fired and helped orchestrate the killing.
Why it matters
The Davis trial is the first criminal prosecution to reach court in connection with Shakur's nearly three-decade-old murder, one of the most prominent unsolved killings in music history. The outcome will determine whether anyone is ever held legally accountable for the death.
What's next
The trial is ongoing in Las Vegas, with additional witness testimony and evidence presentations expected to continue.
Key facts
- Defendant Duane 'Keffe D' Davis is charged with murder in the 1996 death of Tupac Shakur
- Davis was indicted in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty
- Tupac Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, and died six days later at age 25
- Autopsy photos were displayed by prosecutors in the Las Vegas courtroom
- Shakur's cousin described seeing the autopsy photos as making him feel 'very angry, to say the least'
- Witness James McDonald, a Suge Knight associate, told attorneys to treat him as a hostile witness
Bias & framing notes
All three sources agree on the core facts — autopsy photos were shown and family members left the courtroom. The Guardian placed heavier emphasis on the dramatic hostile-witness testimony from McDonald, while CBS News and AP focused on the family's reaction to the autopsy photos. No sources provided substantial detail on defense arguments, leaving the prosecution's narrative more prominent across all coverage.
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