Sanft says that in 2017 a group called the Center of Investigative Reporting filed a Freedom of Information Act request to gain access to the murder files held by the Las Vegas police department.

After the police department refused to release the files, the Senate then filed a lawsuit forcing them to release the files, Sanft says.

That's when Detective Clifford Mogg comes in, saying he's just there to close out the case, not to solve the mystery of who killed Tupac, Sanft says.

Detective Mogg in 2018 then receives a copy of the "Death Row Chronicles" in 2018, which is not a deposition and not a testimony under oath, Sanft says.

"You know what happens when he receives that copy of the interviews that the state has basically shown you in this case? No charges filed," Sanft says.

Sanft says Mogg did not properly file reports and accuses his work of being "biased, sloppy and incomplete".

Sanft says misconduct and incompetence existed in the various police departments who had a role in the murder investigation.

He alleges another investigator, Detective Long, faced significant obstacles when he took over the investigation, which Sanft says he will testify to later in the trial.

Sanft says there were issues with the testing of the alleged murder weapon, and alleges the Los Angeles Police Department gave Long a "fake" gun to test.

Leads also began to wither and people's memories grew foggy as the case dragged on, Sanft says.

Sanft points out what he says are issues with the investigative practices that oversaw the case.

Sanft tells the jury that many reports by one detective, Brent Becker, are now missing, "they’re gone".

He said it is the responsibility of police to pass these records along to new detectives.

Sanft also alleges that Becker did not trust Compton’s police department due to a lieutenant’s purported ties to gang-affiliated individuals.

Image source, Reuters

Palal has wrapped up his statement and the Davis's lawyer is now beginning his.

Defence attorney Michael Sanft is asking the jury to consider whether Palal has presented "fact or fiction" to them.

Sanft says the prosecutor has presented fictional details as fact.

Image source, Reuters

Palal says in 2019 Davis published his own book, Compton Street Legend.

The prosecutor says the book shows Davis was "mad" about the beating of his nephew Orlando Anderson, that he was in Las Vegas the night of the fight, he got the gun, he was in the white Cadillac and he handed the gun to someone.

"A constant thing that always goes through these statements is Duane Davis' visceral anger at Tupac Shakur for putting hands on his nephew," Palal says.

He also reads a quote from Davis' book: "Them jumping on my nephew gave us the ultimate green light to do something to their ass."

Palal says there are no prosecutions following the shooting because in the world of guns and gangs "silence means survival".

But he says the "one person" who had a hard time staying silent was the defendant.

He then sets out that between 1998 and 2003, David gave a "number" of statements on the case.

Palal says in 1998, Davis spoke to the FBI and admitted being in LA at the time of the murder but denied being involved.

Palal then says it was in a secret interview with a federal taskforce that he "admits to his role in the murder".

The taskforce, he says, had been set up to investigate the murder of another rapper - Christopher Wallace aka the Notorious B.I.G - who was killed six months after Tupac's murder, after leaving a party in LA.

Palal says Davis said at the time he had no information on Wallace but they he can "tell you about Tupac".

"He tells a federal taskforce about his involvement which you've heard is orchestration of the murder of Tupac Shakur," Palal says.

This was secretly recorded and released later, the court hears.

In 2017, Davis then "decides to go public", Palal continues, as the court is shown a recording of a public interview.

Palal says he admits to being in the Cadillac and being part of the murder.

Palal says Davis got in the white Cadillac, which at that point was carrying three other men, including his nephew, Anderson.

They decided to “get some booze and go back to the Vegas strip and party”.

However, on their journey they saw a caravan of cars - and spotted that Tupac and Suge Knight were in one of the vehicles, Palal says.

Davis, and the others in the Cadillac, decided to make a U-turn to confront Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight, Palal says.

The prosecutor alleges Davis, who was in the passenger seat, passed a gun to Anderson.

Anderson then shot into Tupac's car, Palal says.

Palal says Davis believed the attack on his nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, could not "go unanswered".

Palal alleges Davis acquired a gun and organised for two vehicles to travel to Las Vegas club 662, one of them a white cadilac.

But Tupac Shakur and another man, Death Row Records executive Suge Knight, did not turn up while they are at the club, Palal says.

Prosecuting, Binu Palal begins by relaying the prosecution's version of events on September 7 1996.

He says Tupac had come to LA to attend a Mike Tyson fight, after which he and others ran into Orlando Anderson, the defendant's nephew.

He says that encounter resulted in an attack which was captured on video.

Davis can be seen in the courtroom watching as proceedings get under way.

Image source, Reuters

The prosecution in the trial of Duane Davis has begun outlining its case.

We'll bring you the key lines shortly.

You can follow every twist in the Tupac murder trial on the BBC podcast Fame Under Fire: The Tupac Murder Trial.

It's available now on BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer or wherever you get your podcasts.

Duane "Keffe D" Davis has entered the courtroom wearing a navy suit and blue tie.

Davis faces one count of murder with a deadly weapon over the death of rapper Tupac Shakur. He denies the charges.

Soon we'll see lawyers on both the prosecution and defence teams outline the arguments that they will later set out to convince the jury of.

Jury selection took place last week so the trial should be able to get under way pretty quickly.

Depending on timings, the first witnesses may also be called to provide testimony later on in the session.

Representing Duane Davis, the defence attorney is Michael Sanft,while heading the prosecution team is Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo.

The judge hearing the case is Carli Kierny.

Once proceedings begin, you'll be able to watch events inside the courtroom at the top of the page.

Image source, Getty Images

It's been nearly three decades since rapper Tupac Shakur was killed.

From holograms to hoaxes, the hip-hop legend has been spoken about for years by fans of his music - but also those fascinated by the mystery of what happened to the rapper.

Tupac is widely considered to be one of the most influential and successful rappers of all-time, who heavily influenced hip-hop, particularly the West Coast rap scene.

He was born in East Harlem, New York City. But it was on the West Coast where his music career took off. He released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1991.

Tupac, whose stage name was stylised as 2Pac, went on to enjoy chart success with multiple hits including 'California Love', 'All Eyez on Me', 'Changes and I Ain't Mad at Cha'. His music often touched on themes around social issues such as inequality.

Rapper 50 Cent said "every rapper who grew up in the nineties owes something to Tupac".

"He definitely developed his own style, he didn't sound like anyone who came before him," the artist said.

Kendrick Lamar said his own career had been inspired by the work of Tupac.

Shaimaa Khalil
North America correspondent

Image source, Reuters

I'm at the courthouse here in Las Vegas where the media presence for the trial of the man charged over Tupac Shakur's murder is huge.

Eyes and cameras will be on Duane Davis, 63, when he enters the courtroom.

It's not just members of traditional media - YouTubers and Tiktokers are also here.

One just passed us with his small camera and asked: "Are you all ready for this?"

A ballot has been occurring to decide which onlookers get to watch from inside the courtroom.

There's so much anticipation, even those whose names are called receive a faint applause.

Image source, Reuters

Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, faces one count of murder with a deadly weapon over the death of Tupac Shakur.

Police allege he planned the shooting after his nephew was involved in a fight with Shakur in a Las Vegas casino. Davis was arrested near his Las Vegas home in September 2023.

Prosecutors allege Davis - a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang - was the "on-ground, on-site commander" who "ordered the death" of Shakur.

Davis denies the charges, and his defence team says there is no evidence he orchestrated the murder.

Tupac’s murder case had largely gone cold until public statements made by Davis himself, who published a memoir in 2019 in which he claims he was a passenger in the vehicle that fired into Tupac’s car.

He says in the book that he gave the gun used in the murder to his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who shot the rapper.

Defence attorneys argue the book is fictional. A judge ruled it can be introduced in court.

Sakshi Venkatraman
US reporter

Image source, Getty

Tupac Shakur’s murder is a cold case that’s gripped the public's fascination for 30 years.

The iconic rapper was just 25 years old when he was gunned down in Las Vegas drive-by shooting after a Mike Tyson fight on 7 September 1996.

For decades, the case went unsolved.

Today, spectators are packing out a Las Vegas courtroom where Duane “Keffe D” Davis faces trial charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon in connection with Tupac's death.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Following a week of jury selection, lawyers are set to begin their opening statements today.

Over the next few weeks we’re expecting witnesses, experts, and investigators to give evidence about what occurred that night.

We’ll bring you the latest from inside the courtroom here.