Kathmandu— Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs could face criminal charges related to the 1996 shooting death of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, according to a report by The Telegraph. The potential for prosecution hinges on the outcome of the current trial of Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, a former gang member accused of orchestrating the murder. Davis's claims about Combs allegedly offering $1 million to kill Shakur and Suge Knight have resurfaced as part of the case, prompting investigators to consider further action against the music mogul. The shooting occurred on September 7, 1996, leaving Shakur dead six days later and record executive Suge Knight wounded, becoming one of the most infamous unsolved murders in US history.

Revived Cold Case

The decades-old case was reopened after Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis began publicly discussing his involvement in 2018 and 2019, ultimately leading to his arrest in 2023. Davis, a former senior figure in the South Side Compton Crips, alleges he was present when Tupac Shakur was shot. He has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder with a deadly weapon with intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. Prosecutors are utilizing Nevada’s accomplice liability laws, which allow for prosecution even without direct involvement in the act itself.

Allegations Against Diddy

Davis previously claimed that Combs offered $1 million for Shakur and Knight to be killed amid a violent rivalry between Combs’s Bad Boy Records and Knight’s Death Row Records. However, Davis now asserts these accounts were fabricated for personal gain. Combs has vehemently denied any involvement in the shooting, dismissing the allegations as “pure fiction and completely ridiculous.” The Clark County district attorney’s office has reportedly kept Combs’s alleged role out of the current trial to avoid confusing the jury.

Potential Charges and Next Steps

According to a source within the Clark County district attorney’s office, a conviction of Davis could provide grounds for pursuing charges against Combs. “The door remains open on what charges could be made against Diddy,” the source said. “But if the jury convicts Davis, then it gives a green light to take action against Diddy.” Prosecutors have not yet confirmed whether they intend to pursue charges against Combs following the conclusion of Davis’s trial.

The Night of the Shooting

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times while stopped at a red light in Las Vegas with Suge Knight. Prosecutors believe Orlando ‘Baby Lane’ Anderson, Davis's nephew, fired the shots in retaliation for an earlier beating by Shakur and his associates. Anderson was never charged and died in a separate gang shooting in 1998. Davis was allegedly one of four men in the vehicle from which the fatal shots were fired; he is the only one still alive.

The outcome of Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis’s trial will determine whether prosecutors pursue further investigation into Sean Combs' alleged involvement in the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.