Michael Sanft, the Las Vegas defence lawyer who represented Duane “Keffe D” Davis in the murder trial over Tupac Shakur’s death, has died aged 55.
The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed the death, but said the cause remained under investigation. Sanft was found dead at his home, according to local reports.
Sanft attracted national attention during the case after taking on Davis’s defence. He had represented the former gang leader at trial earlier this year, arguing that there was no physical evidence placing his client at the scene of the shooting. ([ktnv.com](https://www.ktnv.com/news/michael-sanft-las-vegas-attorney-who-represented-keefe-d-michele-fiore-dead-at-55))
Michael Sanft represented Duane “Keffe D” Davis
Davis was convicted in August of first-degree murder involving the use of a deadly weapon in connection with the 1996 killing of Shakur. Prosecutors said Davis had organised the attack, although they did not allege that he had fired the shots.
The jury reached its verdict after less than three hours of deliberations. Davis was the only person ever charged in connection with Shakur’s fatal shooting in Las Vegas. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/tupac-shakur-trial-las-vegas-duane-davis-0b0b080d73f91cd122b6dd438e5bbb80))
Judge Carli Kierny sentenced Davis to 40 years to life in prison on October 13. The rapper was shot while stopped at a red light on September 7, 1996, and died six days later from his injuries.
Before the trial, Sanft said he had accepted the case without a retainer and believed Davis was innocent. He had practised law for about 25 years and was the lead trial attorney at a Las Vegas personal injury firm. ([cbsnews.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/duane-keffe-d-davis-sentenced-tupac-shakur-murder/))
Details surrounding Sanft’s death had not been released by Friday, and the coroner’s investigation remained ongoing.
