A former gang member charged in the 1996 murder of hip-hop star&nbsp;Tupac&nbsp;Shakur pleaded not guilty on Thursday in a Las Vegas court.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 60, who police said was long suspected in the murder and began implicating himself in a series of public statements in recent years, responded "not guilty" when asked by Clark County district judge Tierra Jones if he wanted to enter a plea.

Davis was indicted in September by a Clark County grand jury and arrested in Las Vegas for Shakur's drive-by shooting death, a long-unsolved crime that became a defining moment in the history of rap music.

Davis was charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon for his alleged role in leading a group of men to kill Shakur in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas strip.

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Shakur, widely regarded as one of rap music's greatest artists, was also one of its most commercially successful, selling more than 75 million records worldwide.

Authorities said Davis orchestrated a plot to avenge the beating of his nephew, Orlando Anderson, inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena by Shakur and members of his entourage on the night of Sept. 7, 1996, just hours before the shooting.

At a news conference after Davis' arrest, police showed hotel security footage of several men kicking and punching a person they identified as Anderson near a bank of elevators before security personnel broke up the altercation.

That incident, police said, led to the retaliatory shooting death of Shakur.

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After obtaining a gun from an unnamed associate, Davis, along with Anderson and two other men, Terrence Brown and Deandre Smith, got into a white Cadillac and rode off to find the black BMW that was carrying Shakur, police said.

When Davis and the others caught up to Shakur's vehicle, shots were fired from the Cadillac into the passenger side of the BMW. Shakur, struck four times, died in hospital six days later at the age of 25.

Authorities have not said who actually fired the gun at Shakur. The three others in the Cadillac with Davis have all since died.

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Shakur was best known for raw lyrics laced with violence, sex and profanity describing life in the ghetto. He was no stranger to trouble, having spent much of the last two and a half years of his life in and out of court, jail or hospitals.

A former gang member charged in the 1996 murder of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur pleaded not guilty on Thursday in a Las Vegas court. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 60, who police said was long suspected in the murder and began implicating himself in a series of public statements in recent years, responded "not guilty" when asked by Clark County district judge Tierra Jones if he wanted to enter a plea.

A former gang member charged in the 1996 murder of hip-hop star Tupac Shakur pleaded not guilty on Thursday in a Las Vegas court. Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 60, who police said was long suspected in the murder and began implicating himself in a series of public statements in recent years, responded "not guilty" when asked by Clark County district judge Tierra Jones if he wanted to enter a plea. Davis was indicted in September by a Clark County grand jury and arrested in Las Vegas for Shakur's drive-by shooting death, a long-unsolved crime that became a defining moment in the history of rap music. Davis was charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon for his alleged role in leading a group of men to kill Shakur in a drive-by shooting near the Las Vegas strip. ALSO READ | Tupac Shakur receives posthumous star on Hollywood Walk of Fame Shakur, widely regarded as one of rap music's greatest artists, was also one of its most commercially successful, selling more than 75 million records worldwide. Authorities said Davis orchestrated a plot to avenge the beating of his nephew, Orlando Anderson, inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena by Shakur and members of his entourage on the night of Sept. 7, 1996, just hours before the shooting. At a news conference after Davis' arrest, police showed hotel security footage of several men kicking and punching a person they identified as Anderson near a bank of elevators before security personnel broke up the altercation. That incident, police said, led to the retaliatory shooting death of Shakur. ALSO READ | Arrest in Tupac Shakur killing stemmed from Biggie Smalls death investigation After obtaining a gun from an unnamed associate, Davis, along with Anderson and two other men, Terrence Brown and Deandre Smith, got into a white Cadillac and rode off to find the black BMW that was carrying Shakur, police said. When Davis and the others caught up to Shakur's vehicle, shots were fired from the Cadillac into the passenger side of the BMW. Shakur, struck four times, died in hospital six days later at the age of 25. Authorities have not said who actually fired the gun at Shakur. The three others in the Cadillac with Davis have all since died. ALSO READ | Former gang leader charged with rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder in Las Vegas Shakur was best known for raw lyrics laced with violence, sex and profanity describing life in the ghetto. He was no stranger to trouble, having spent much of the last two and a half years of his life in and out of court, jail or hospitals.

Suspect in rapper Tupac Shakur's killing pleads not guilty in Las Vegas court

A former gang leader has been charged with the 1996 murder of rapper&nbsp;Tupac&nbsp;Shakur in Las Vegas, a prosecutor said Friday.

The development is the latest in a long-running case that has gripped the public imagination after the death of an artist whose spectacular career was cut short at the age of just 25.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis was indicted by a grand jury in Nevada, prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo told a court.

"The presumption is great that he is responsible for the murder of&nbsp;Tupac&nbsp;Shakur, and he will be found guilty of murder with use of a deadly weapon," he said.

Shakur, the best-selling hip-hop artist behind hits such as "California Love," was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.

Shakur had a brief but stratospheric career, rapidly rising from backup dancer to self-styled gangsta rapper and one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, selling 75 million records.

He became a key figure in a vaunted rivalry, egged on by promoters, between East Coast and West Coast hip-hop.

Though born in New York, Shakur moved as a teenager with his family to California, becoming one of the most identifiable figures in the West Coast scene.&nbsp;

The circumstances of Shakur's death in September 1996 remain murky, and theories have long abounded.&nbsp;

Shakur's murder was followed six months later by the gunning down of his rival, East Coast rapper Christopher "The Notorious BIG" Wallace.

Many believe they were slain as part of a rivalry between their music labels, LA-based Death Row and New York's Bad Boy Entertainment.&nbsp;

But some music historians say the coastal rift was exaggerated for commercial reasons.

Shakur -- whose mother Afeni was active in the Black Panther movement and named him after&nbsp;Tupac&nbsp;Amaru, a revolutionary Inca chief -- used his lyrics to highlight issues facing Black Americans, from police brutality to mass incarceration.

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A former gang leader has been charged with the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, a prosecutor said Friday. The development is the latest in a long-running case that has gripped the public imagination after the death of an artist whose spectacular career was cut short at the age of just 25.

A former gang leader has been charged with the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas, a prosecutor said Friday. The development is the latest in a long-running case that has gripped the public imagination after the death of an artist whose spectacular career was cut short at the age of just 25. Duane "Keffe D" Davis was indicted by a grand jury in Nevada, prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo told a court. "The presumption is great that he is responsible for the murder of Tupac Shakur, and he will be found guilty of murder with use of a deadly weapon," he said. Shakur, the best-selling hip-hop artist behind hits such as "California Love," was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Shakur had a brief but stratospheric career, rapidly rising from backup dancer to self-styled gangsta rapper and one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, selling 75 million records. He became a key figure in a vaunted rivalry, egged on by promoters, between East Coast and West Coast hip-hop. Though born in New York, Shakur moved as a teenager with his family to California, becoming one of the most identifiable figures in the West Coast scene. The circumstances of Shakur's death in September 1996 remain murky, and theories have long abounded. Shakur's murder was followed six months later by the gunning down of his rival, East Coast rapper Christopher "The Notorious BIG" Wallace. Many believe they were slain as part of a rivalry between their music labels, LA-based Death Row and New York's Bad Boy Entertainment. But some music historians say the coastal rift was exaggerated for commercial reasons. Shakur -- whose mother Afeni was active in the Black Panther movement and named him after Tupac Amaru, a revolutionary Inca chief -- used his lyrics to highlight issues facing Black Americans, from police brutality to mass incarceration. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Former gang leader charged with rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder in Las Vegas

In a stunning development, Duane Keffe D. Davis, a central figure in the investigations into the murders of hip-hop legends Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, has been arrested and charged with murder. Davis now faces allegations of ordering and masterminding the killing of Tupac in 1996, a case that has remained unsolved for nearly three decades.

Davis, 60, had long been a person of interest in both cases but managed to avoid prosecution until now. The breakthrough in the Tupac case came when retired Los Angeles police detective Greg Kading, who had been investigating the Biggie Smalls murder, interviewed Davis in 2009. Davis, who had immunity for what he said during the police interview, confessed to his involvement in the Shakur case, providing detailed information about how he and his co-conspirators carried out the murder.

Notably, Davis went on to reveal many of the same details in various public forums, including documentaries, podcasts, and a 2019 memoir titled "Compton Street Legend." These revelations reignited the Las Vegas police probe and ultimately led to his grand jury indictment.

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Although Davis is not accused of being the gunman who killed Tupac Shakur, he is considered the group's ringleader. In Nevada, a defendant can be charged with a crime, including murder, if they helped someone commit the crime. Davis admitted in his memoir that he provided the gun used in the drive-by shooting that claimed Tupac's life.

Davis was arrested near his home on the outskirts of Las Vegas, just hours before prosecutors announced his indictment by a Nevada grand jury on one count of murder with a deadly weapon. The grand jury also voted to add a sentencing enhancement for gang activity, potentially adding up to 20 additional years if he is convicted.

The transcripts released from the grand jury proceedings shed light on the deep rivalry between Tupac's music label, Death Row Records, and Bad Boy Records, which had connections to Davis and represented Biggie Smalls (Christopher Wallace). This rivalry significantly influenced the hip-hop scene during the mid-1990s and may have played a role in the murders of both artists.

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In a stunning development, Duane Keffe D. Davis, a central figure in the investigations into the murders of hip-hop legends Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, has been arrested and charged with murder.

In a stunning development, Duane Keffe D. Davis, a central figure in the investigations into the murders of hip-hop legends Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, has been arrested and charged with murder. Davis now faces allegations of ordering and masterminding the killing of Tupac in 1996, a case that has remained unsolved for nearly three decades. Davis, 60, had long been a person of interest in both cases but managed to avoid prosecution until now. The breakthrough in the Tupac case came when retired Los Angeles police detective Greg Kading, who had been investigating the Biggie Smalls murder, interviewed Davis in 2009. Davis, who had immunity for what he said during the police interview, confessed to his involvement in the Shakur case, providing detailed information about how he and his co-conspirators carried out the murder. Notably, Davis went on to reveal many of the same details in various public forums, including documentaries, podcasts, and a 2019 memoir titled "Compton Street Legend." These revelations reignited the Las Vegas police probe and ultimately led to his grand jury indictment. Also read: Turkish film festival cancelled over censorship controversy Although Davis is not accused of being the gunman who killed Tupac Shakur, he is considered the group's ringleader. In Nevada, a defendant can be charged with a crime, including murder, if they helped someone commit the crime. Davis admitted in his memoir that he provided the gun used in the drive-by shooting that claimed Tupac's life. Davis was arrested near his home on the outskirts of Las Vegas, just hours before prosecutors announced his indictment by a Nevada grand jury on one count of murder with a deadly weapon. The grand jury also voted to add a sentencing enhancement for gang activity, potentially adding up to 20 additional years if he is convicted. The transcripts released from the grand jury proceedings shed light on the deep rivalry between Tupac's music label, Death Row Records, and Bad Boy Records, which had connections to Davis and represented Biggie Smalls (Christopher Wallace). This rivalry significantly influenced the hip-hop scene during the mid-1990s and may have played a role in the murders of both artists. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Arrest in Tupac Shakur killing stemmed from Biggie Smalls death investigation