A jury of 6 men and 10 women was selected Thursday to hear the case against an ex-gang leader accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur's killing nearly 30 years after the legendary rapper's death in one of hip-hop's most pivotal unsolved murder cases.

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, now 63, faces a murder charge that could result in a life sentence if convicted.

Prosecutors allege he was the 'shot caller' who ordered Shakur's fatal shooting on Sept. 7, 1996, near the Las Vegas Strip.

Opening statements are expected to begin Monday.

Shakur was just 25 when he died six days after being shot in a drive-by shooting while riding as a passenger in a BMW driven by Marion 'Suge' Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records.

Shakur was at the height of his career with hits including 'California Love' and 'Dear Mama,' and more than 75 million records sold worldwide.

Prosecutors have not accused Davis of pulling the trigger but say he made the calls that led to Shakur's death and provided the weapon.

In Nevada, a person can be convicted of murder for helping another person commit a crime.

Davis is the only surviving person who was in the car from which prosecutors say fatal shots originated.

The case against Davis was revived after his 2019 book 'Compton Street Legend,' about the shooting and his time in the Crips, as well as statements he made during police and media interviews.

Defense attorneys have fought to block the book's contents and statements from a 2008 police interview, arguing the work was fictionalized with a co-author.

What the Right Is Saying

Defense attorneys have emphasized that Davis has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.

His legal team argues the book was fictionalized and that statements made during a federal task force interview were supposed to remain confidential.

They contend the prosecution relies heavily on words Davis wrote or spoke outside of court, not direct evidence.

Criminal justice reform advocates from a conservative perspective emphasize the importance of presumption of innocence and question whether decades-old statements in a published book constitute reliable evidence for such serious charges.

They note that no witness has directly placed Davis at the scene giving orders.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive legal advocates see the trial as a long-overdue step toward accountability in one of American music's most infamous unsolved cases.

Shakur's family members have waited decades to learn the full truth behind his killing at age 25, and they argue Davis's own words in published interviews and his book make clear he orchestrated the fatal shooting.

Civil rights advocates note that under Nevada law, accomplices can face murder charges even without pulling the trigger, a legal standard designed to hold those who order violence accountable.

They say the decades-long gap reflects how difficult it is to prosecute gang-related cases where witnesses fear retaliation.

What the Numbers Show

The jury pool was reduced to 16 jurors—6 men and 10 women—with 4 serving as alternates during selection.

Potential jurors were questioned about their familiarity with Shakur's music, favorite books and movies, and any strong feelings about gangs.

Davis is 63 years old and faces a potential life sentence if convicted of murder in Nevada.

He is the only surviving person from the vehicle where prosecutors say the fatal shots originated.

Knight, who was in the car with Shakur during the shooting, is serving a 28-year federal sentence for a separate killing in 2015.

Prosecutors expect to call between 35 and 45 witnesses, ranging from people who saw Shakur moments before he was shot to his associates at the time.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs, whom Davis claimed wanted Shakur and Knight dead, will not be among those called to testify, attorneys said.

The trial is expected to last about a month.

The Bottom Line

The selection of this jury marks a significant milestone in one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries—nearly 30 years after Shakur's death on Sept. 7, 1996.

Davis's case hinges largely on his own published words and statements to law enforcement rather than direct eyewitness testimony linking him to the shooting.

What happens next: Opening statements begin Monday in Las Vegas.

The prosecution must prove not that Davis pulled the trigger but that he ordered and facilitated the killing—a burden it will seek to meet using his book, media interviews, and witness testimony from associates on both sides of the rivalry at the time.

The defense has signaled its intent to challenge the reliability of statements made years after the shooting.

What to watch: Whether witnesses willing to testify can provide corroborating evidence beyond Davis's own words, how Knight responds if called to testify despite saying he wants no part in the trial, and whether any new details emerge from 35 to 45 witnesses spanning three decades.