Las Vegas attorney Michael Sanft, who defended Keffe D, dies at 54
The gist
Las Vegas attorney Michael Sanft, who represented Duane "Keffe D" Davis in the Tupac Shakur murder trial, died at 54.
His cause of death is unreleased, and Davis's planned appeal loses its lead lawyer.
How it unfolded
- Mar 2026Sanft took on the case of Duane "Keffe D" Davis and took it to trial in August with no delays.
- Aug 2026A jury found Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur; Sanft represented him pro bono at the Las Vegas trial.
- Sep 1, 2026Sanft told NBC News the defense was preparing an appeal, saying even Davis knew that going in.
Key terms
- pro bono
- Professional work done voluntarily and without payment, traditionally legal services for people who cannot afford them.
- wire fraud
- A U.S. federal crime of using electronic communications to defraud someone, especially across state or international borders.
- Nevada state bar
- A public corporation supervised by the Nevada Supreme Court that regulates and supports attorneys in Nevada.
Source: Wikipedia