Jury convicts a man of first-degree murder for the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A jury has found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. The verdict Monday marks the first and only conviction in a case that has gripped hip-hop fans for years. In 1996, Shakur was on his way to perform at a club in Las Vegas when a Cadillac pulled up beside him and music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight. Gunfire erupted. Shakur was shot multiple times and died a week later. Davis is the only person ever charged in Shakur’s death. The case went cold until recent years, when interviews Davis gave and his 2019 tell-all memoir revived it.
What to know about the evidence that led to a conviction in Tupac Shakur's killing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been convicted of first-degree murder in the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur. The case had remained unsolved for nearly 30 years. It relied heavily on Davis' own statements over the years. He repeatedly placed himself at the scene and described his role in the shooting. Prosecutors argued he organized the attack as retaliation for an earlier altercation. A Las Vegas jury found him guilty on Monday after less than three hours of deliberation. Davis, who is 63, is being held without bail and faces a potential life sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for October 13.
George Clooney's long love affair with Venice enters a new chapter
VENICE, Italy (AP) — George Clooney has become a staple at the Venice Film Festival over nearly three decades. From his first appearance with “Out of Sight” to his upcoming Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, Venice is the place of many of Clooney's significant moments. He married Amal Alamuddin there in 2014 and has premiered several films, including “Good Night, and Good Luck” and “Michael Clayton.” Clooney's connection to Venice is both professional and personal, with his nearby Lake Como villa adding to the allure. This year, life imitates art as he receives a lifetime achievement award, echoing his role in “Jay Kelly.”
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 6-12 include Emmy Rossum and Harry Connick Jr.
Celebrities having birthdays during the week of Sept. 6-12 include “Furious” star Emmy Rossum, ballerina Misty Copeland and guitarist Matthew Followill of Kings of Leon. Rapper Foxy Brown turns 48, director Guy Ritchie hits 58, and guitarist Jon Buckland of Coldplay reaches 48. Other celebs with big days include rapper Ludacris, actor-comedian Adam Sandler and model Rachel Hunter. “Modern Family” actor Eric Stonestreet turns 55, singer Harry Connick Jr. reaches 59, and actor Taraji P. Henson welcomes 56. Others celebrating are country singer Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, singer-actor Jennifer Hudson and actor Kristy McNichol.
Wendell Berry, Kentucky-born author who advocated a simpler life, has died at 92
NEW YORK (AP) — Author-agrarian Wendell Berry, a Kentucky native who celebrated the farming world of his home state and warned of the excesses of industrial society, has died. He was 92. His daughter, Mary Berry, confirmed on Monday that he died in his home in Port Royal, Kentucky. Berry was a prolific writer who published more than 40 books, among them the novels “Nathan Coulter” and “A Place On Earth,” the anthology “A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997,” and his farming manifesto “The Unsettling of America.” His honors included a National Humanities Medal and a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Critics Circle.
Singer D4vd loses prominent lawyers defending him in killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Singer D4vd has lost his private lawyers and entered a new not guilty plea. He's facing charges of murder, sexual abuse and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. It's not clear why his high-profile attorneys, Blair Berk and her colleagues, withdrew. They were replaced by a public defender. The judge on Monday denied a request from the public defender to delay the arraignment and scheduled a status conference for October. Despite earning millions from his music, the indie-pop singer, born David Burke, qualified for a court-appointed lawyer. A trial date has not been set.
Thea Frodin was Serena Williams' body double in 'King Richard.' Now she's playing in the US Open
NEW YORK (AP) — Thea Frodin is playing her first U.S. Open singles match against the No. 2 player in women’s tennis. It’s a big task for the 17-year-old, but Frodin hits the ball like Serena Williams. Well, like Serena Williams in the movies, anyway. In the 2021 film “King Richard,” Frodin was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played the younger Williams. Now, Frodin will play tennis on camera as herself on Wednesday when she faces Elena Rybakina. Frodin won the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships to earn a wild card into the field. She was a junior player in California when she was asked to audition for the movie.
Dolly Parton estate announces 2-day festival 'Dollyfest' to celebrate her legacy
NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton is not done yet. The estate behind the icon, who died of cancer last week at age 80, has announced Dollyfest, a two-day festival to be held in Nashville and London in 2027. According to a press release, the festival was originally conceived to take place in January 2026, around her 80th birthday. It was going to feature Parton as a performer and host. Now, organizers say it will serve as a celebration of her legacy. Additionally, The Associated Press has confirmed there was a private service for Parton on Friday attended only by immediate family. There will not be a public ceremony, per Parton’s wishes.
Amid backlash, museum cancels planned Met Gala exhibit on fashion designer John Galliano
NEW YORK (AP) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art is canceling its planned exhibit honoring British designer John Galliano. The exhibit had led to severe backlash from the Jewish community and beyond because of the designer’s past antisemitic and racist statements. The museum said Monday the exhibit will be replaced by another show to be announced later. Galliano was long recognized as one of the fashion world’s biggest talents and was at the pinnacle of that world for years as creative director of Christian Dior. He was fired from the post when a series of racist and antisemitic comments from 2010 and 2011 surfaced and went viral, leading to his conviction in an antisemitism trial in France.
Norway's Queen Mette-Marit joins procession to bring late King Harald V's coffin to royal chapel
OSLO, Norway (AP) — The coffin of the late King Harald V of Norway has traveled through the royal palace to its chapel. Queen Mette-Marit joined the procession on Monday in her first official appearance since assuming the title. Harald passed away Friday at age 89. His son the crown prince immediately became the new King Haakon VIII. His wife became Queen Mette-Marit while his oldest child Ingrid Alexandra became crown princess and heir to the throne. The coffin stayed in the palace’s Red Salon over the weekend before traveling to the royal chapel on Monday. It will remain there until the funeral takes place on Sept. 9.
