Prominent Las Vegas Defense Attorney Michael Sanft Passes Away at 55 Following Historic Tupac Shakur Trial

LAS VEGAS, NV — Michael Sanft, the prominent Las Vegas criminal defense attorney whose courtroom career spanned more than 150 jury trials and culminated in the historic murder defense of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, was found dead inside his Las Vegas home. He was 55 years old.

The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner confirmed Sanft’s death.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigators and first responders were called to Sanft’s residence, where he was pronounced deceased.

Sources close to the inquiry noted the circumstances do not appear suspicious, pointing toward a possible sudden medical episode.

The coroner’s office noted that the formal cause and manner of death remain pending toxicology and pathology reviews.

Sanft’s unexpected passing sent shockwaves through the Southern Nevada legal community, arriving just days after he finalized and filed a formal notice of appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court challenging Davis’s conviction and 40-year-to-life sentence.

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|          MICHAEL SANFT CAREER & DOSSIER                |
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|  - Full Name: Michael Sanft                            |
|  - Age at Passing: 55                                  |
|  - Residence / Passing: Las Vegas, Nevada              |
|  - Status: Cause and Manner of Death Pending (Coroner) |
|  - Family: Survived by Two Children                    |
|  - Practice: Lead Trial Attorney, SOS Injury Lawyers   |
|  - Career Milestone: Over 150 Cases Tried to Verdict   |
|  - Landmark Representation: Duane "Keffe D" Davis      |
|    (1996 Tupac Shakur Murder Prosecution; Pro Bono)    |
|  - High-Profile Clients: Former Judge Michele Fiore    |
|  - Final Filing: Notice of Appeal to NV Supreme Court  |
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From the Pacific Islands to Over 150 Jury Verdicts

Born in the Kingdom of Tonga before immigrating to San Diego at age 12, Sanft built an unorthodox and relentless path into the upper echelons of the Nevada Bar.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University–Hawaii before completing his legal education and establishing his practice in Southern Nevada.

Over more than two decades in Clark County courtrooms, Sanft established a reputation as a fearless, blue-collar trial advocate.

Operating in recent years as lead trial counsel at SOS Injury Lawyers, Sanft tried over 150 cases to jury verdict—a staggering threshold in modern criminal and civil practice where the vast majority of filings resolve via plea agreements or settlements.

Colleagues described him as an advocate whose power lay in plain-spoken relatability rather than theatrical courtroom posturing.

His client roster frequently placed him at the center of high-stakes, politically charged litigation, including representing former Las Vegas City Councilwoman and Pahrump Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore during her federal trial.

The Tupac Shakur Murder Trial and Final Legal Act

Sanft entered the international media spotlight when he stepped forward to represent Duane “Keffe D” Davis—the only individual ever indicted in the September 1996 drive-by shooting death of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur.

Taking on the monumental case pro bono as Davis’s third retained attorney, Sanft inherited thousands of pages of cold-case investigative files, gang intelligence, and public memoir interviews.

Throughout the intense summer trial inside Clark County District Court Department 2, Sanft fought prosecutors tooth-and-nail, aggressively arguing that Davis’s past confessions and memoir excerpts were sensationalized Hollywood fabrications rather than admissible admissions of guilt.

Following Davis’s conviction and subsequent sentence handed down by District Judge Carli Kierny, Sanft remained steadfast in his professional obligation.

He formally filed a notice of appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court, preserving Davis’s constitutional review rights before his sudden passing.

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|             DAVIS CASE APPELLATE STATUS                |
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|  • Notice of Appeal: Filed Oct. 30; Docket Active      |
|  • Jurisdiction: Nevada Supreme Court (Appellate Div.) |
|  • Next Steps: New appellate counsel to be assigned    |
|    to review extensive trial transcripts & briefs      |
|  • Legal Precedent: Davis appeal proceeds despite      |
|    lead trial counsel's untimely passing               |
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Sanft is survived by his two children, extended family, and a close network of Southern Nevada defense attorneys, marshals, and courtroom colleagues.

Source: Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner Records, Eighth Judicial District Court Records (Case #C-23-377042-1), Nevada Supreme Court Appellate Docket, Las Vegas Legal Community Bulletins.