THE self-confessed Los Angeles gangster accused of killing Tupac Shakur has been fighting colon cancer, his lawyer has said.

Former Southside Crip Keefe D’s acting lawyer Ross Goodman confirmed to The U.S Sun that his client is battling the potentially deadly condition.

A former Compton gang enforcer, who moves in the same circles as Keefe, also revealed that he had boasted “God got me” as he dealt with the medical woes.

Death Row Records’ security head James McDonald expects Keefe, real name Duane Davis, to be in a medical wing of a Las Vegas prison while he awaits his 2024 trial.

When asked about Keefe’s cancer battle, Goodman confirmed to  The U.S Sun said: “I heard the same thing.”

He added: “I haven’t reviewed any medical records yet, but apparently he did have colon cancer shortly before he gave those statements (media interviews confessing to being a part of Tupac’s murder)”

Respected Vegas attorney Goodman, who is renowned for handling significant criminal cases in Nevada, feels Keefe remains upbeat.

“His spirits are fine right now,” he said.

“He thinks that there are defenses and he wants to fight the case.”

Goodman is still negotiating a deal with Keefe to retain him as his attorney for a trial.

Associates of Keefe claimed that he had told friends he “was not expecting to live long” before he wrote his memoir Compton Street Legend, which featured his confessions about his role in Tupac’s death.

McDonald, who was known as Mob James while working as Suge Knight’s security chief in the late 80s and 90s, says the 60-year-old former drug dealer talked about Tupac’s death believing he could die before any criminal probe.

But after fighting off the condition. Keefe boasted that he survived, against the odds, as “God got me.”

Speaking exclusively on camera, McDonald told The U.S Sun: “Well I think everybody knows he has got cancer.

“That could play a big part in putting him in the medical ward.”

SHOCK REACTIONS

Family and friends urged Las Vegas local Keefe, who lived just 5 miles from the spot where Tupac was gunned down in September 1996, not to give interviews about the murder.

McDonald added: “Everybody is p***d off because he didn’t take heed to what people were telling him: ‘Shut the f*** up stupid’.

“And this brother been like this for a long time, not heeding, he don’t think nothing out.

“He don’t believe it’s going to happen to him until it happens –  and it happened.

“He once said God got him. That’s why he’s still on the street

“God ain’t got nothing to do with that, brother.

“You told on yourself. God probably told you to shut the f*** up and you didn’t.

“So he just, ever since I known of him this how he been, he’s nonchalant about s*** and it cost him for that little money he was making on all of these different shows, it can’t help him now.”

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HEARING APPEARANCE

Keefe appeared to have a slimmer figure when he was walked into a Las Vegas court in handcuffs and leg shackles for his arraignment on Thursday, October 19.

While his hearing lasted around 70 seconds, he appeared ashen-faced, although he did grin looking at the packed public gallery, filled with International media.

He will return on November 2 where Judge Tierra expects him to have hired a lawyer permanently or will appoint a public defender.

After the hearing, Goodman spoke to The U.S Sun, admitting that Keefe has a chance to escape a potential lifelong prison sentence for his role in killing Shakur – despite multiple confessions to his infamous crime.

Goodman stated the Clark County District Attorney’s case, presented at the Las Vegas Grand Jury, is a “circumstantial case along with his statements.”

Goodman added that the prosecution may have the fight to convince a jury of Keefe’s guilt as “You have to have something other than somebody’s statement  to establish that that person is guilty of the killing or the murder.”

Respected city lawyer Goodman expects Davis to ask for bail while the case proceeds.

It is unknown whether Goodman will be retained by Davis, as the pair have some “issues” to iron out before a firm deal is made for his criminal case representation.

Given Davis’ public admissions of his involvement in the killing and the Clark County’s DA’s office expressing confidence in a conviction, he may face a tough battle to clear his name.

However, Goodman is more optimistic about his chances in a trial, where if found guilty could face over 20 years or life behind bars.

Asked whether he has a “strong defense to fight the case”, Goodman replied: “It would be irresponsible for me to make those comments, but based on my quick review of the grand jury transcripts, it is a circumstantial case along with his statements.

“But you have to corroborate what somebody says.

“There has to be some circumstantial evidence to support what somebody is saying.

“Otherwise you could say that you shot Tupac Shakur.

” I understand that a lot of people are taking credit for shooting Tupac and they are not charged with murder.

“You have to have something other than somebody’s statement to establish that that person is guilty of the killing or the murder.”

Goodman spoke to assembled media after the minute-long arraignment hearing in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Goodman stated that Keefe “thinks there are defenses” for Keefe D, who has vowed to “fight the case “

He added: “One thing that jumps out is that there is no gun, no car, and no witnesses from 27 years ago.”

Currently, Suge Knight – who drove his BMW with Tupac on the fateful night – is refusing to provide witness testimony or any cooperation with prosecutors.

Davis was arrested near his Henderson home on September 29, after a grand jury indicted him for murder with the use of a deadly weapon and a gang enhancement charge.

In his memoir Compton Street Legend, Keefe wrote about how he helped secure a gun to murder Tupac as revenge for ‘Pac beating up his cousin Orlando ‘Baby Lane’ Anderson after a Mike Tyson in the MGM Grand in September 1996.

He detailed how he helped coordinate a team of fellow LA gangsters to hit and kill the rap icon and his Death Row record label boss Knight.