A former gang member known for his notoriety boldly dismissed inquiries from attorneys regarding Tupac Shakur’s murder, defiantly challenging the court with, “treat me as a hostile witness,” during an intense testimony on Tuesday.
James “Mob James” McDonald, once an influential figure within Compton’s Mob Piru Gang and an enforcer for Death Row Records, displayed open contempt toward both prosecuting and defense attorneys as they bombarded him with questions about the infamous gang conflict that culminated in the 1996 slaying of the iconic rapper on the bustling Las Vegas Strip.
“I know about a lot of things. Things that were happening, things people haven’t talked about in decades. Today’s not the day for that,” McDonald retorted when prosecutors sought to implicate 63-year-old Duane “Keffe D” Davis, a member of the rival South Side Compton Crips, in the murder conspiracy.
McDonald once served as a lieutenant under Suge Knight, another Mob Piru affiliate and the influential leader of Death Row Records, which had Shakur at the forefront of its roster.
When pressed to delve into the long-standing animosity that dates back three decades, McDonald firmly stated, “Me or anybody else raising up the dead is wrong,” refusing to resurrect past grievances.
“I don’t want to send [Davis] to prison. Even though we don’t like each other,” McDonald declared before ripping the court for forcing him to dredge up memories of the old life he wants to put behind him and protect his grandchildren from.
McDonald’s testimony seemed to do little to help prove his former rival was the one who orchestrated Shakur’s murder.
Prosecutors say Davis gave a gun to his nephew Orlando Anderson and told him to shoot Shakur as an “act of revenge” after the rapper and his pals beat Anderson up.
It took more than 25 years to arrest and charge Davis, who has acknowledged that his nephew — now dead — was the one who fired the shots, but has denied giving the order.
McDonald had been managing security at Suge Knight’s Las Vegas club, where Knight and Shakur were headed during the ambush.
He said he knew who was and wasn’t present during the attack, but he wouldn’t name names — nor answer questions about the skirmishes that erupted in Compton after the murder.
“You’re asking me something that’s gonna hurt this dude!” McDonald said to Davis’ attorney Michael Sanft.
The testimony ended in a shouting match with McDonald throwing up his hands and saying “I’m not answering nothing. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Then, turning to Davis, he said: “Cover your lawyer, man. That dude is trippin.’”
“I’m not gonna send him to prison. You are,” he said of his old enemy.