Defense Counsel for Tupac Murder Convict, Michael Sanft, Passes On at 55

Michael Sanft, the legal representative for Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis in the high-profile murder trial of American hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur, has passed away at the age of 55.

Reports from USA Today, citing a spokesperson for the Clark County Office of the Coroner, confirmed that Sanft was discovered deceased in Las Vegas on Friday, November 6. As of the time this report was compiled, the official cause of his death had not been publicly disclosed.

Sanft was a prominent attorney in Nevada, recently gaining widespread attention for his defense of Davis. Davis was found guilty in August of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, implicated in the 1996 fatal shooting of Shakur. The 63-year-old Davis subsequently received a sentence of 40 years to life imprisonment in October, marking him as the first individual to be convicted in connection with the rapper's killing.

Following the jury's decision, Sanft had voiced his dissatisfaction with the verdict and stated his clear intention to appeal the conviction. Court documents, also obtained by USA Today, indicate that he had officially submitted a notice of appeal on October 30.

Speaking to local broadcaster FOX5 after the sentencing, Sanft affirmed that his legal team had exerted maximum effort throughout the proceedings. He stated, “We had the best team possible in this case, from the motion practice work on this appeal to our investigator to our firm here at SOS Injury. We all did our part. I don’t see what I could’ve done differently.”

He further recounted a conversation with Davis, who, despite the unfavorable outcome, urged him to consider the verdict as merely the initial phase of a protracted legal challenge. Sanft shared, “He had reminded me this is phase one. Because I was upset with the verdict, I was very disappointed in the jury. Mr Davis was the one who said, ‘Don’t worry about it, man, this is the first phase,’ and I said, ‘I understand, I hate to lose.’”

According to his professional biography on the SOS Injury Lawyers website, Sanft was born and raised on the island of Tonga before relocating with his family to San Diego, California, at the age of 12. He later served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and pursued his education at BYU-Hawaii, where he was also a performer at the Polynesian Cultural Center. His biography described his transition into a law career as “the next logical step in his journey,” highlighting his strong work ethic, interpersonal skills, and dedication to assisting vulnerable individuals. The firm noted his extensive experience as a trial attorney, having managed more than 150 cases. At the time of his passing, Sanft held the position of lead trial attorney at SOS Injury Lawyers.