Date Published: February 27, 2026, 11:33 AM.
Last Updated: February 27, 2026, 11:33 AM.
- Duane “Keffe D” Davis is counting on Sean Combs to testify and refute his earlier murder admissions.
- Defense attorneys argue that Diddy’s refutation of a hit-money claim will convince the jury of Davis’s deceit.
- The incarcerated mogul could be called as a surprise witness for the defense, though his cooperation is not guaranteed.
Incarcerated music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs may serve as a critical lifeline for the individual charged with the murder of Tupac Shakur.
Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a self-identified leader of the South Side Compton Crips, is currently facing life in prison for the 1996 drive-by shooting in Las Vegas and sees Combs as a potential key witness for his defense. The trial is scheduled to commence in August, although there are chances of postponement until 2027.
According to an insider speaking to the New York Post, Davis’s defense team is convinced that the Bad Boy Records founder could play a crucial role in demonstrating that Davis’s past admissions were merely attempts for notoriety and financial gain.
Over the years, Davis has made various claims to law enforcement and authors, notably alleging that Diddy once offered him $1 million to eliminate both Shakur and Suge Knight. Now that his claims have led him to a jail cell, Davis is shifting his narrative; he now desires Diddy to corroborate his story.
“Duane is adamant about his position — if Diddy testifies or issues a statement refuting what he told the authorities, it would be tremendously beneficial for him,” the tabloid cites an anonymous source. This ambitious tactic, proposed by Davis’s prominent attorney, Michael Pandullo, is both daring and ironic: Davis requires the very individual he accused of orchestrating a murder to testify in his defense.
The defense team aims to use Combs’s potential testimony to depict Davis as a fantasist, who swapped reality for celebrity.
In the courtroom, star power can be a compelling influence, even in the scandal-laden circumstances surrounding the figures involved.
Diddy, who is currently serving time for violations of the Mann Act, has consistently denied any involvement in the incident that silenced ‘Pac. The pivotal question remains whether he would be inclined to assist someone who has long accused him of arranging a hit. (It’s important to note that even if Diddy is summoned to testify at Davis’s trial, a subpoena cannot obligate a witness to forfeit their Fifth Amendment rights.)
With parole eligibility in 2028, the mogul has ample time for contemplation — which is fortunate considering the current situation he finds himself in.