The lawyer who represented Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the man convicted of killing rapper Tupac Shakur, has been found dead at his home in Las Vegas, days after filing an appeal against the high-profile murder conviction, the New York Post reported Saturday.
Michael Sanft, 55, was discovered dead at his home on Friday morning, his friend Michael Sloan told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Police said Sanft’s death did not appear to be suspicious, while the cause and manner of death remain pending. No further details have been released.
Sanft’s death came a week after he filed a notice of appeal on Oct. 30 challenging Davis’ murder conviction, according to court records obtained by Fox 5 Vegas.
Davis, 63, was sentenced on Oct. 14 to two consecutive terms of 20 years to life in prison, one for first-degree murder and another for the use of a deadly weapon.
A jury convicted Davis on Aug. 31 of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon. Although prosecutors did not allege that Davis fired the fatal shots, they argued that he organized the retaliatory attack under Nevada’s accomplice-liability law.
Shakur was shot on Sept. 7, 1996, while riding in a car near the Las Vegas Strip. He died six days later at the age of 25.
Prosecutors said the shooting followed a fight at a Las Vegas casino involving Shakur, members of his entourage and Davis’ nephew.
Davis was the only person ever criminally charged in connection with the killing.
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