Former Compton gang member Mob James made it clear he had no interest in helping send an old rival to prison while testifying in Duane “Keffe D” Davis’ trial over the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur.
James McDonald, widely known as Mob James, took the stand on Tuesday in Las Vegas, where he repeatedly pushed back against questions about the decades-long gang conflict connected to Shakur’s death.
“I’m aware of a lot of things. Things that was going on. People ain’t talked about it in 30 years. Today ain’t one of them,” McDonald said.
McDonald, a former Mob Piru member who once worked as security for Death Row Records, said he only appeared in court because refusing to testify could have resulted in him being held in contempt.
The courtroom grew particularly tense when Davis’ defense attorney, Michael Sanft, repeatedly questioned McDonald about whether he saw the person who shot Shakur.
“I don’t want to send him to prison even though we don’t like each other,” McDonald said.
However, McDonald was more open when questioned about his mindset during that time.
The defense brought up an old rumor claiming that Tupac Shakur once knocked McDonald out. When asked how he would have reacted if that had actually happened, McDonald answered without hesitation.
“I’d have killed him,” he said.
McDonald explained that his response reflected the mentality he had at the time, adding that he had previously spoken publicly about the matter.
“I’m being honest with you and everybody else. I said it on my podcast show,” he said. “Him, Suge, and my brother — I’d have shot all three of them if he touched me.”
When asked why, McDonald simply replied, “That’s what I was back then.”
He went on to explain that, in the lifestyle he was living at the time, maintaining respect meant retaliation was expected if someone publicly humiliated him.
“You would have to go back home and fight everybody that called you a punk,” he said. “There’s some rules that you roll with and some rules you just got to handle. Certain things need to be dealt with, adjusted, living that life.”
McDonald added, “When I was living that life, it wasn’t no ifs, ands or buts.”
Davis, 63, is accused of orchestrating Shakur’s Sept. 7, 1996 shooting after an altercation at the MGM Grand, where Shakur, Suge Knight and others allegedly attacked Davis’ nephew, Orlando Anderson. Davis has denied ordering Shakur’s murder.
Although McDonald acknowledged knowing who was and was not present during the shooting, he refused to identify anyone as the questioning became more intense.
“You’re asking me something that’s gonna hurt this dude!” he told Sanft.
McDonald eventually declared, “I’m not answering nothing,” before turning to Davis and telling him, “Cover your lawyer, man. That dude is trippin’.”
“I’m not gonna send him to prison,” McDonald added. “You are.”
