Kathmandu— The trial of Duane Davis, 63, began this week in Las Vegas, Nevada, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated the 1996 murder of hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur as an act of revenge for a prior assault on his nephew; Davis faces charges of murder with a deadly weapon and gang involvement, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The case centers around a drive-by shooting that took place near the Las Vegas Strip following a boxing match, and is expected to last up to six weeks before Judge Carli Kierny. Prosecutors claim Davis was the “on-the-ground” leader who armed the shooters, while the defense argues the evidence remains thin after three decades.

Revenge as Motive

During opening statements, prosecutor Binu Palal asserted that Davis, formerly a street gang leader known as “Keefe D,” masterminded the shooting in retaliation for the beating of his nephew by Shakur and his associates at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino on September 7, 1996. The incident stemmed from long-standing hostility between Davis’s South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, a gang associated with Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight, who was driving Shakur when he was shot.

Davis's Alleged Role

Prosecutors allege that Davis obtained the murder weapon and provided it to two other men in a white Cadillac, directing them to locate Knight and Shakur’s vehicle after the casino altercation. They claim Davis acted as the “on-site commander” of the operation, ensuring the shooters were prepared to carry out the plan. While not accused of pulling the trigger himself, Davis is alleged to have supplied the gun and coordinated the attack.

Defense Challenges Evidence

Michael Sandt, Davis’s defense lawyer, countered that after 30 years, investigators still lack substantial evidence to support their claims. He urged jurors to question whether the prosecution's case was based on “truth or fiction.” The trial is expected to feature testimony from figures connected to the hip-hop scene of the time, including Suge Knight, who is currently serving a prison sentence for an unrelated manslaughter conviction.

Shakur’s Legacy and Gang Rivalry

Tupac Shakur, 25 at the time of his death, had quickly risen to prominence in the hip-hop world during the 1990s with several chart-topping albums. His murder amplified the violent imagery often associated with “gangsta” rap and intensified the existing rivalry between East Coast and West Coast artists. The shooting occurred against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the Compton Crips and Mob Piru, gangs that had reached their peak influence at the end of hip-hop’s “Golden Age.” Shakur died six days after being struck by four bullets; Knight sustained a minor wound from a bullet fragment.

The trial is ongoing, with jurors expected to hear evidence over the next several weeks as prosecutors attempt to prove Davis orchestrated the murder through his actions and statements.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.