LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — On April 9, a jury found Duane "Keefe D" Davis guilty for his role in a jailhouse fight between him and another inmate, but now, the jury's impartiality is being put into question.
Video shows altercation between Keefe D and another inmate
An evidentiary hearing was ordered by Clark County Court Judge Nadia Krall after Davis's defense team claims juror misconduct took place outside the courtroom.
Last month, the defense filed a motion for a new trial over "concerns about improper communication between jurors during a lunch break, before deliberations, and in direct violation of the court’s repeated instructions not to discuss the case before a decision."
According to his legal team, a courtroom witness overheard the jurors' conversation but the defense was never told before a guilty verdict was delivered.
On Monday, Judge Krall ordered all 14 jurors and the witness back in court for the evidentiary hearing scheduled for July 2, 2025.
The defense team maintains the claim Davis acted in self-defense during the jailhouse fight.
"This hearing is a vital opportunity to restore trust in the fairness of this process. Mr. Davis is being prosecuted for defending himself in a moment where security failed him. The jury's impartiality is the cornerstone of any fair trial, and when that is compromised—as it appears to have been here—a full and fair review is absolutely necessary. We commend the court's decision to move forward with an evidentiary hearing and will continue to advocate for Mr. Davis with the urgency and integrity this case deserves."
You may recall Davis from his more high-profile case as the suspect in the 1996 shooting death of hip hop legend Tupac Shakur — a case that is still ongoing.
