Duane “Keefe D” Davis faces murder charges in the 1996 Las Vegas shooting that killed Tupac Shakur, with prosecutors alleging he coordinated the attack. Share Tupac Shakur's murder trial is finally set to begin, almost 30 years after one of the most infamous killings in music history. The long-awaited courtroom proceedings will see Duane "Keefe D" Davis stand trial over the fatal drive-by shooting that claimed the life of the rap icon in Las Vegas on 7 September 1996. It marks the first time anyone has faced trial over a case that has fuelled decades of conspiracy theories, unanswered questions and one of hip-hop's greatest mysteries. Tupac Shakur, one of hip‑hop’s most influential voices, reshaped music and culture through his raw storytelling, activism and fearless reflections on inequality. His legacy continues to inspire new generations, cementing him as a global icon whose impact reaches far beyond rap... Image Credit Getty I...
Survivors say the ruling “protects predators, not victims” as ex‑chaplain avoids prison.
The decision to let ex-Wolverhampton school chaplain Edward “Father Eddie” Smith walk free from court has ignited fierce public anger, raising uncomfortable questions about justice, accountability and the value placed on victims’ suffering. Smith, now 76 and terminally ill with cancer, was convicted of historic sexual offences against boys he targeted in the 1970s and 1980s while serving at St Peter’s Collegiate School. Yet despite the gravity of his crimes, a judge ruled that his prognosis — less than two years to live — justified sparing him from prison.
For many, the ruling feels like a betrayal of the boys whose childhoods were shattered by Smith’s predatory behaviour. Survivors have spent decades carrying the weight of trauma, shame and silence, only to watch the man who abused them avoid punishment because he is dying. The question now reverberating across Wolverhampton is stark: should a terminal diagnosis grant a paedophile immunity from the consequences of his crimes? To those who endured the abuse, the answer is painfully clear — their suffering did not come with an expiry date.
Watch full report from Birmingham Live below:
Smith’s release is made even more contentious by the fact he was freed from prison just last year after being jailed in 2024 for assaulting boys. His history is not one of a frail old man making a single mistake, but of a serial offender who repeatedly exploited his position of trust. Critics argue that allowing him to evade further imprisonment sends a dangerous message — that age and illness can overshadow accountability, even in cases involving the most vulnerable victims.
As communities react with disbelief, the case exposes a deeper moral dilemma within the justice system. Courts routinely consider health and life expectancy when sentencing, but where does compassion end and injustice begin? For Smith’s victims, the ruling feels like a final blow: after decades of waiting for recognition and redress, they are left watching their abuser spend his remaining days in comfort rather than confinement. Their voices — long overlooked — now demand to be heard in a debate that challenges the very foundations of how society responds to historic sexual abuse.
