Duane “Keefe D” Davis insists he wanted to testify at his trial for the murder of Tupac Shakur, but his attorney told him it wasn’t a good idea.
Davis discussed the decision in a lengthy jailhouse interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Friday, Sept. 4, just days after a Las Vegas jury convicted him of first-degree murder.
While his attorney previously suggested the former South Side Compton Crips shot caller would testify, it never happened. Davis explained why.
“He said that it would mess up my chances of appeal,” he told THR.
The outlet described Davis as “upbeat” while a reporter spoke with him “on a video terminal” from a different floor.
Related: Keefe D Goes Off on Prosecutors for ‘Endangering’ His Family
Fox 5 Las Vegas previously reported that Davis’ lawyer, Michael Sanft, took the case pro bono, after the previous lead attorney withdrew from the case.
But there have been rumors Sean “Diddy” Combs secretly funded Davis’ defense. THR asked Davis if the incarcerated Bad Boy Records founder paid his legal bills.
“I was trying to get him to pay,” Davis responded. “His daughters go to a school where I knew the football coach and athletic director, so I told him to tell him to at least come and help me out. But I couldn’t get a hold of him.”
Combs is serving a 50-months sentence at a federal prison in New Jersey on prostitution-related charges.
Davis said he also attempted to reach out to another hip-hop mogul for help.
“I tried to get Dr. Dre to pay too, but I couldn’t reach him. He never would’ve met Suge if not for me,” Davis said, referring to Suge Knight, who co-founded Death Row Records with Dr. Dre and others.
Despite facing 20 years to life in prison, Davis said he expects his conviction to be overturned.
“S–t, I ain’t worried. I’m getting out on an appeal,” he said.
He claimed his legal team started the process before his trial even began. “We already filed it before the trial even started. They violated my civil rights!” he said.
A Las Vegas jury convicted Davis on Aug. 31 after just three hours of deliberations. Prosecutors argued that he orchestrated the September 1996 drive-by shooting that killed Shakur on the Las Vegas Strip and left Suge Knight injured.
Davis, 63, was the only person ever arrested in connection with the killing. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 13.
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