Lawyers react to denial of release of alleged Tupac killer Duane Davis

The legal team representing the man accused of killing rapper Tupac Shakur is “disappointed” by the judge's decision to deny his release Wednesday despite posting bail.

Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny denied Duane “Keefe D” Davis’ request for house arrest with electronic monitoring, the Associated Press reported. She expressed concerns that Davis and the person who offered to pay his bail, Cash “Wack 100” Jones, planned to profit from selling Davis’ life story.

Davis is charged with murder in connection with the 1996 killing of Shakur, who was fatally shot while in a car stopped at a red light in Las Vegas.

The decision comes after prosecutors claimed Davis planned to benefit financially from his story. They cited a recorded prison phone call in which Jones, a music record executive who manages hip hop artists, told Davis about a plan to produce “30 to 40 episodes” of a show based on the 'history.

Under Nevada law, convicted murderers are not allowed to profit from their crime.

Kierny said in his ruling that Jones could be a “'screen' or 'intermediary' for the real Bond poster.”

Davis' defense attorney, Carl Arnold, denied the judge's allegations in a statement sent to News week.

“We are disappointed in the court's decision to deny bail to Mr. Davis, particularly
given Konvict Bail Bonds' thorough review of the source of funding
conducted prior to the sources hearing,” Arnold said. “We strongly believe there is a lack of substantial evidence that Mr. Davis intended to profit from his alleged connections to the case.”

The legal team has announced its intention to file a motion for reconsideration.

“We are committed to ensuring that Mr. Davis receives fair and just treatment under the law,” CEGA Law Group said in a press release.

The case remained unsolved until Davis was arrested last year after admitting in a book to being involved in the killing. He claimed he was in the car from which the shots were fired and that he had provided the murder weapon. However, he claimed it was his nephew who fired the fatal shots, not him.

The 61-year-old is the only person accused of involvement in the murder who is still alive.

Arnold has previously argued that Davis, who is battling cancer, should be released because of his age and health.

Davis has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

Large-scale hip hop essays

Dr. AD Carson, a professor of hip-hop culture at the University of Virginia, previously said Newsweek that the trial constitutes an important development in the case.

“It will give people closure, like Tupac's family and fans who have been speculating about the case for 30 years,” Carson said.

He also said some people might view the case from a different perspective.

“In some ways, people might look at this and take a cynical view and say that this is just a way for a police department to try to create positive public relations, to make it seem like “They're doing a job that we haven't been able to do for the last 30 years,” Carson said. “And I can certainly understand if people approach things that way.”

The trial is scheduled to begin on November 4.

It is one of five high-profile trials in hip-hop for murder, gang activity and assault with a firearm.

Young Thug and his ongoing RICO trial in Georgia are currently taking center stage.

The alleged murderer of Migos rapper Takeoff is awaiting trial in Houston.

Rapper YNW Melly faces the death penalty as he heads to retrial in a Florida double murder case.

A$AP Rocky, the father of Rihanna's children, is set to go on trial for allegedly shooting his childhood friend on a Los Angeles street corner more than two years ago.

Do you have a story Newsweek Do you have questions about this story? Contact [email protected]