Michael Sanft, the lawyer who represented Duane “Keffe D” Davis in the murder case involving rap icon Tupac Shakur, was found dead Friday at his Las Vegas home. Sanft was 55 years old, as reported [1] by Breitbart.
Michael Sloan, a friend of Sanft, told the Las Vegas Review Journal that the lawyer’s body was discovered Friday morning. Sloan is a Clark County District Court marshal who rode motorcycles with Sanft.
“He was one of my best friends and one of the best human beings I knew,” Sloan said, remembering the attorney as both a close companion and a deeply valued person in his life.
The cause and manner of Sanft’s death remain pending, and no additional details have been released. Police said that his death does not appear suspicious, according to the newspaper.
Sanft’s death came one week after he filed an appeal in the widely followed murder case, according to court records obtained by Fox 5 Vegas. He had represented Davis through the trial that ended with Davis being convicted of organizing Shakur’s killing.
In August, a jury found 63-year-old Davis guilty in Shakur’s murder, roughly 30 years after the rap star was fatally wounded. Davis was sentenced on October 13 to 40 years to life in prison.
Shakur was shot on the night of September 7, 1996, while sitting in a black BMW with Death Row Records head Marion “Suge” Knight. The two were reportedly waiting at a red light near the Las Vegas Strip.
Assailants traveling in a white Cadillac pulled up alongside the BMW and opened fire. Shakur died from his gunshot wounds at a hospital six days after the shooting.
The jury reached its decision after deliberating for “less than three hours,” ABC News reported. Jurors unanimously convicted Davis of “murder with the use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.”
During Davis’ trial, Sanft challenged the credibility of his own client, who had made multiple statements concerning his involvement in Shakur’s killing. The lawyer also criticized the quality of the law enforcement investigation into the case.
Despite the adversarial nature of the proceedings, Sanft appeared able to maintain cordial relationships with the prosecutors working on the case, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported. That professional relationship was reflected in the response from prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo.
“Michael Sanft was one of the premier defense attorneys in Las Vegas, and Las Vegas lost a good lawyer. And more importantly to me, I lost a friend,” DiGiacomo told the newspaper after Sanft’s death.
Sanft was an experienced attorney with an extensive courtroom record. According to his biography, he tried 150 cases to jury verdict during his legal career.
He was also recognizable for his distinctive appearance in court. Sanft wore his hair long and pinned a rosette to the lapel of his suit jackets.
Sanft grew up on the island of Tonga in a home without electricity. His household shared a water faucet with three other houses, according to the account of his early life.
At age 12, Sanft moved to San Diego. He later served in a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before continuing his education at BYU-Hawaii.
Sanft attended law school at BYU and received his license in 2002. He was a father of two, in addition to being a veteran Las Vegas attorney whose death prompted personal tributes from friends and professional colleagues.
His death leaves the cause and manner still awaiting an official determination. Authorities have released no further details, while police have indicated that the circumstances do not appear suspicious.