Michael Sanft, Lawyer for Tupac’s Killer, Passes Away at 55

Michael Sanft, a prominent lawyer known for defending Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis in the Tupac Shakur murder trial, has died at the age of 55. His death was confirmed by the Clark County Office of the Coroner on November 6, but the cause has not been revealed.

Sanft was a well-known attorney in Nevada. He represented Davis, who was convicted in August for the first-degree murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, who was shot and killed in 1996. In October, Davis was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison, marking him as the first person convicted in connection with Shakur’s death.

After the verdict, Sanft expressed his disappointment with the jury’s decision but stated his intention to appeal the conviction. He filed a notice of appeal shortly before his death. Sanft mentioned in an interview that he believed his legal team had done their best during the trial.

In his discussions with Davis following the sentencing, Sanft recalled how Davis encouraged him to view the verdict as just the beginning of a longer legal fight. Sanft described his feelings of disappointment but acknowledged Davis’s perspective on the situation.

Sanft’s background included growing up in Tonga before moving to San Diego at age 12. He later served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended BYU-Hawaii. His law firm, SOS Injury Lawyers, noted that he was an experienced trial attorney who had handled over 150 cases.