Gang Leader Ordered Tupac's Murder, Prosecutor Says

Rapper Tupac Shakur was shot dead in an act of gang revenge ordered by a mobster who later boasted of it, jurors heard Monday as one of America’s most anticipated trials opened, 30 years after the murder. The proceedings focus on a former associate of the Los Angeles crime syndicate who is alleged to have directed the hit and subsequently bragged about the killing to friends and associates. The testimony, delivered by law‑enforcement officials and witnesses, details how the mobster allegedly orchestrated the attack and how he later claimed credit for the murder in private conversations.

The case, which has drawn national attention since the 1996 shooting, is expected to shed new light on the circumstances surrounding Shakur’s death. Prosecutors argue that the mobster’s confession and the corroborating evidence establish a clear chain of command from the crime syndicate to the execution of the hit. Defense attorneys counter that the evidence is circumstantial and that the mobster’s statements were made under duress. The trial will continue through the next several weeks, with a verdict expected in the spring.