A Las Vegas jury has found former South Side Compton Crips gang leader, Duane Davis, guilty of the 1996 murder of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur.
The 12 member jury unanimously convicted the 63 year old Davis of first degree murder with a deadly weapon, after deliberating for less than three hours.
The verdict is the first conviction in the nearly three decade old case and could result in a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Davis, who had pleaded not guilty, told the judge after the verdict that he intends to appeal.
The decision triggered emotional reactions in the courtroom, with Tupac's sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, seen crying as the verdict was read. Davis' son also covered his face with his hand, while people in the gallery embraced members of the prosecution team.
Prosecutors relied heavily on statements Davis had made publicly over the years, including accounts in his 2019 memoir and recordings of conversations with investigators. In those accounts, Davis acknowledged being inside the white Cadillac from which the shots were fired and said he provided the gun used in the attack.
Source: Daily Post