Davis, 63, was convicted in August of first-degree murder by use of a deadly weapon. He is the only person charged in the death of Shakur, whose popularity peaked when he was 25. Davis faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutor Mark DiGiacomo says that no matter what sentence the court imposes, Davis is “guaranteed to die” behind bars.

“It’s not just about losing a family member,” DiGiacomo said as Shakur’s sister Sekiwa “Set” Shakur nodded in the audience.

The murder remained unsolved for years, until Davis, the former leader of the South Side Compton Crips, gave interviews and published his role in the shooting in his 2019 tell-all memoir.

DiGiacomo said Davis was trying to profit from a murder he committed and does not deserve the minimum sentence.

“I think he deserves the maximum punishment possible,” DiGiacomo said.

Davis spoke briefly in court, telling Judge Carly Kearney that he wanted back items that police took from his home, including photographs of him. Asked if he had anything else to say, Davis said: “No, I’m good.”

Davis’ attorney, Michael Senft, said he plans to appeal the decision. Senft said prosecutors waited too long to bring the case.

On the night of September 7, 1996, Shakur was in the passenger seat of a black BMW with music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight when a white Cadillac stopped at a red light and gunfire began. Shakur was shot multiple times and died six days later, while Knight survived.

Shakur is considered one of the most influential and versatile rappers of all time and at the time of his death his film career as an actor was on the rise. Since then his legend has grown even further. His songs still resonate with fans today with themes of hardship, love and black struggle.

In his memoir, Davis described how Shakur and his associates beat Davis’ nephew hours before the Las Vegas shooting. He said he wanted to retaliate and was in the passenger seat of the Cadillac and sent the gun into the back seat, where shots were fired. Davis had spoken to detectives years earlier but escaped prosecution because of a deal he made with law enforcement.

During the weeklong trial, prosecutors relied on Davis’s own statements he gave to law enforcement and documentarians. They argued that Davis orchestrated the shooting and provided the gun used in Shakur’s death, which was the result of a rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru. Davis’ defense attorney pointed to the lack of physical evidence linking his client to the 30-year-old crime, and he portrayed Davis as a liar who was trying to make money.

After hearing nine days of testimony in August, the jury deliberated for three hours before returning a guilty verdict.

Shakur’s family is expected to speak at the sentencing, including his siblings Maurice “Moprim” Shakur and Sekiwa “Set” Shakur.

After the verdict, prosecutor Binu Palal said that for many people, Shakur was a symbol or an idea, “but to the family, Tupac Shakur was a brother, a son, a cousin, a loved one who was separated from them 30 years ago.”

Palal said the family had to sit through years of Davis “bragging about killing someone they loved.”

Palal said, “They loved the man. And the arrogance that Mr. Davis showed in expressing his joy in killing that man was ultimately his undoing.”

Davis is the only person charged and convicted of Shakur’s murder. Three other people who were reportedly in the Cadillac – including Davis’s nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, whom Davis said was the one who pulled the trigger – have died.

Sean “Diddy” Combs and his alleged role were brought up frequently throughout the trial. Witnesses testified that Combs used members of the South Side Compton Crips to protect Bad Boy Records. Davis alleged in his book and in public statements that Combs had offered him money to kill Shakur and Knight. Combs, who is serving a four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to prostitution-related crimes, has repeatedly denied any involvement in Shakur’s death.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has said his office does not believe it has enough evidence to charge anyone else.

“But like any other case, if we get more information, more evidence, we can always consider filing additional charges,” he said after the guilty verdict. “But today, we do not believe this is the appropriate step.”

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