Late Tupac Shakur’s family expressed themselves recently following a guilty verdict that they have waited almost three decades to hear.
After the jury convicted Duane “Keffe D” Davis for the rap icon’s 1996 fatal shooting, Tupac’s family disclosed that they are both “elated and relieved” by the decision. However, the family made it clear that they do not see the verdict as the final chapter in Tupac’s story.
The emotional statement comes one day after The Blast reported that members of the Shakur family were inside the Las Vegas courtroom when the verdict was announced. Now, the family is opening up about what the moment meant to them while also paying tribute to Tupac’s late mother, Afeni Shakur.
In a statement obtained by ABC News, one of Tupac’s cousins, known as Aiysha Obafemi, who was at the court during the ruling, shared how the family reacted to the verdict.
“The family of Tupac Amaru Shakur is ‘elated and relieved,’” the statement read.
Also, the rapper’s family was grateful to the jury for taking the case seriously and going through the evidence presented carefully before making a decision.
In a report by The Blast on August 31, Davis was found guilty less than three hours after the jurors went in for deliberation, and Tupac’s family members were present in court.
The Family Says This Is ‘Not The End Of The Story’
Tupac’s family may feel relieved that the rapper’s killer has been convicted, but they do not see it as the end of the rapper’s story.
According to the statement from the outlet, they plan to use this opportunity to keep the memory of their loved one alive. “While this verdict is decades in the making, this is not the end of the story,” Obafemi said.
Before Davis’ trial even began, Tupac’s siblings also shared this sentiment. They want to always remember and honor the rapper’s life and legacy.
After Davis was arrested in September 2023, Tupac’s brother Mopreme Shakur called the news “bittersweet” and made it clear that the family still had a lot of questions. He wanted investigators to continue looking at the unanswered parts of the case rather than treating one arrest as complete closure.
Tupac’s Family Celebrates His Mother Afeni Shakur After The Verdict
The family’s statement also took the opportunity to celebrate and honor Tupac’s late mother, Afeni Shakur, who spent the rest of her life trying to protect and honor her son’s legacy.
Obafemi described her as the woman who “carried this fight,” even before the news about an arrest and a trial began circulating. In other words, Afeni never relented when it came to her son’s affairs, and for that, the Shakur family views her as a hero.
Although Afeni’s death in 2016 sent a wave of sadness throughout the family, her fight for justice for Tupac kept the family going through the years of their waiting period.
While it is sad that she did not get to witness the arrest and now conviction of Davis, her family honors and remembers her fight.
Tupac’s Sister Previously Refused To Celebrate Keefe D’s Arrest Saying It Was Too Soon
When Davis was first arrested in 2023, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, Tupac’s sister, decided not to celebrate too soon.
She noted that the news was indeed a huge turnaround, but she did not want to see the arrest as justice. Rather, she wanted the case to be heard in court first.
In her words, Sekyiwa noted that she would “reserve judgment” until the case was finished and the facts had been properly investigated. She then mentioned that because so many years had gone by since her brother’s sudden death, the authorities needed to do a proper investigation.
Sekyiwa and other family members were spotted expressing gratitude to the prosecution outside the courtroom, which was a dramatic departure from their cautious demeanor when Davis was first taken into custody.
Duane Davis Is Scheduled To Be Sentenced In October
The case is not completely over yet. Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny has set Davis’ sentencing for October 13.
Even though the prosecution tried to show that Davis played a central role in the events leading up to the shooting and resulting in the death of Tupac, they never tried to accuse him of actually shooting the rapper. Davis maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and his lawyers did their best to highlight the many weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and in their evidence.
They also expressed appreciation to the fans, friends, representatives of Tupac’s friends, and to the many advocates who supported the family throughout this long and arduous trial.
But for Tupac’s family, the case goes far beyond a simple conviction in a courtroom. Tupac was killed three decades ago, but his music, legacy, and impact on culture are still relevant today.
