On August 17, 2026, the first substantial effort to close the book on Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder began in Las Vegas. Duane “Keffe D” Davis is on trial after several years of claiming to be directly involved in the killing. Davis pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his attorneys claim his tales were fabricated for clout. But what is already a complicated trial is even more frustrating because several witnesses refuse to testify.
Suge Knight, who was in the car with Tupac when he was shot, publicly refused to be involved. As the only living eyewitness to the shooting, he has knowledge that could potentially end the trial swiftly. But he has since cited street code and his loyalty to Tupac as reasons for staying out of it.
Gang loyalty seems to be a common thread in this trial, as far as testimony is concerned. With the code of silence so pervasive, it will likely be difficult to get anyone to talk. Additionally, many witnesses have since left that lifestyle. They wish to leave that part of their life in the past.
On August 18, James McDonald was called to the stand. A former associate of Suge Knight, McDonald shared Knight’s view of the entire ordeal. He adamantly refused to testify, claiming he did not want to put Davis behind bars despite their mutual dislike.
Pervasive Culture of Silence Could Prolong Justice for Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur’s murder trial is only on its second day, and already there’s the potential for delays. The trial is expected to last about four weeks, but it’s anyone’s guess whether that will hold true.
“You better treat me as a hostile witness,” James McDonald told the court when he took the witness stand on August 18. Per a report from The Guardian, McDonald stated that the only reason he was there was due to a subpoena. Otherwise, it’s likely he would not have gotten involved. “Me or anybody else bringing up the dead is wrong,” he added.
McDonald’s only testimony was to reiterate that no one is going to talk. “I’m aware of a lot of things, things that was going on,” he said. “People ain’t talked about it in 30 years. Today ain’t one of them.”
He added, “I don’t want to send [Duane Davis] to prison, even though we don’t like each other.” McDonald then addressed Davis directly, who was seated behind his attorney. “I don’t want to send you to prison,” said McDonald.
Refusal, Hostility, and Loyalty Converge During Murder Trial
James McDonald is one of the former gang affiliates who has gotten out of the lifestyle and adamantly refuses to return. “I changed my life,” he said in court. “I’m raising my grandkids, teaching them never to be like their Pawpaw, and here I am, explaining to people what I used to be, and I’m not proud of that, I’m not proud of that at all.”
He added, “You’re asking me questions that can hurt [Davis], and like I told them, I’m trying to avoid to answer the questions.”
Speaking with ABC News in early August 2026 before the trial began, Suge Knight shared a similar sentiment. “To actually get on the stand, and point somebody out, it’s worse than taking a gun and shooting that man in the head,” he said. “Because if you shoot a person in the head, they die once. If you get on the stand and you snitch on that person, they die a million times.”
Photo by John Locher / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
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