Tupac Shakur Murder Trial: Former Gang Leader Duane Keffe D Davis Goes On Trial

Thirty years after Tupac Shakur's murder, a former gang leader is now standing trial for his alleged role in the killing.

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, 63, is accused of masterminding the drive- Prosecutors claim Davis orchestrated the attack in retaliation for an earlier fight between Shakur and his nephew Orlando Anderson.

Davis has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty, with his defense team calling the case a product of a flawed investigation. The prosecution argues that Davis planned the shooting after his nephew was involved in a fight with Shakur hours earlier.

The trial began on Monday, with prosecutors painting a picture of a gang leader seeking revenge before masterminding the attack. Witnesses took the jury back in time to the night of the shooting, when gangs had a hold over '90s hip-hop and distrust in police led to a lack of cooperation.

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Davis' attorney Michael Sanft questioned why no one was arrested for nearly three decades, asking what facts the prosecution has after 30 years. The defense team also highlighted discrepancies in Davis' memoir, which he co-authored, with parts allegedly fictionalized to sell more copies.

The case is at its core a tale of East Coast vs West Coast rap rivalries and turf wars between the Bloods and the Crips street gangs that were immortalized in rap lyrics and news reports in the 1990s. The prosecution's first witness was Garry Dale, who detailed riding with Shakur after he'd been shot.

The trial is a significant moment in the case of one of the most famous cold cases of the last century. As the jury hears the opening statements, they are being taken back in time to the night that changed hip-hop forever.