The long-awaited trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the only person ever charged in the 1996 killing of rap legend Tupac Shakur, began this week in Las Vegas. But one of the most important witnesses in the case, Marion “Suge” Knight, has made it very clear he wants no part in the proceedings. Knight, who was driving the car when Tupac was shot, is now speaking out from prison. He says the trial has nothing to do with him and warns that anyone who tries to force him to testify will regret it.
Knight also dropped a major claim: he believes many people were involved in Tupac’s death, not just the man currently on trial. However, he refuses to name any of them.
Suge Knight Sends a Clear Warning to Prosecutors and Defense
Suge Knight has been behind bars since 2015, serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter. But that hasn’t stopped him from speaking out about the case that has haunted hip-hop for three decades.
In a recent interview with ABC News, Knight made his position crystal clear.
“This trial has nothing to do with me and if somebody brings me there, it’s gonna hurt whoever brings me there. I promise you that.”
Knight, now 61, is listed as a possible witness by prosecutors since he was in the car with Tupac Shakur on the night of September 7, 1996. He was grazed by a bullet but survived. Despite being the only living eyewitness to the drive-by shooting, Knight has refused to cooperate with law enforcement for years.
He told ABC News that if he is forced to appear in court, it will not end well for whoever calls him.
“They make me come there against my will, if Keffe D’s lawyers bring me there, it don’t look good for him. If the prosecution brings me there, it don’t look good for them. Leave me out of it.”
Knight Claims Tupac’s Murder Was an ‘Assassination’ Involving Multiple People
While speaking on TMZ Live, Suge Knight went further than just refusing to testify. He described Tupac Shakur’s death as an “assassination”. He also made it clear that he believes Duane “Keffe D” Davis is not the only person responsible.
“There are many individuals involved, and a lot of them remain unmentioned.”
Knight has maintained this position for years but has always refused to provide any names. He says the public has been given wrong information about the murder for almost 30 years.
He also pushed back against the idea that the shooting was simply about a chain or gang colors. “This was an assassination,” he repeated.
Despite being shot himself, Knight has faced accusations that he was behind Tupac’s murder. He strongly denies this.
“Even though I had a bullet an inch to my skull, they always said I’m the one who had Tupac killed, which is far from the truth.”
Why Suge Knight Refuses to Testify or Name Names
Suge Knight has given several reasons for his refusal to cooperate with the trial. He says he is not in the business of solving homicides. He also believes that testifying against someone is worse than murder itself.
“To actually get on the stand, and point somebody out, it’s worse than taking a gun and shooting that man in the head. 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.”
Knight also explained that he does not believe in revenge. He does not want to be responsible for sending another man to prison.
“I am not going to be responsible for sending another man to prison for the rest of his life. If God’s forgiving, who am I to think I’m bigger than God and don’t forgive? Because I’m not.”
He also criticized people who are not involved in the case but are telling stories about what happened.
“You have people who wasn’t there, wasn’t in the car, but they’re telling the story.”
The Trial of Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis Begins in Las Vegas
Jury selection for the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis started on Monday, August 10, 2026, in Las Vegas. Davis, a former Crips gang leader, faces one count of murder with a deadly weapon.
Prosecutors say Davis provided the gun and ordered members of his gang to open fire on Tupac Shakur in retaliation for a fight earlier that night. The shooting happened after Tupac and Suge Knight confronted Davis’s nephew, Orlando Anderson, in the MGM Grand casino lobby.
Davis was arrested in September 2023. He has pleaded not guilty. In his 2019 memoir, “Compton Street Legend,” Davis admitted to providing the gun for the shooting. But he now says the book was written by a ghostwriter and contains false information.
The trial is expected to last about a month.
Witness List Includes Suge Knight and Diddy’s Former Bodyguard
Prosecutors have released a witness list with more than 200 names. Suge Knight is on that list, along with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former bodyguard, Eugene “Gene” Deal. Also on the list are Tupac’s sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, and other family members.
Another name on the list is Kirk Burrowes, who co-founded Bad Boy Records with Diddy. Burrowes has claimed that Diddy “orchestrated” Tupac’s shooting. Diddy has denied this. Diddy is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence after being convicted in July 2025 on charges related to prostitution.
Related:
What Happened on the Night Tupac Was Shot
On September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight were in Las Vegas to watch the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand. After the fight, a brawl broke out in the casino lobby. Tupac and Knight confronted Orlando Anderson, Davis’s nephew, over a stolen Death Row Records chain.
The confrontation was caught on hotel security cameras. Later that night, Davis and his crew went looking for Tupac to get revenge. They found Tupac and Knight at a stoplight on East Flamingo Road. A white Cadillac pulled up next to them, and gunfire erupted from the backseat. Tupac was hit multiple times and died six days later on September 13, 1996. Knight was also wounded but survived.
Also Read: Tupac Shakur Murder Trial 2026: What to Know About the Case and His Final Hours
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