Witness gets combative in Tupac murder trial - 'I don't want to send him to prison'

What the report says

At the second day of Duane “Keffe D” Davis’s murder trial in Las Vegas, a witness from Tupac Shakur’s circle gave combative and reluctant testimony about the 1996 killing. BBC World News reported that James “Mob James” McDonald, a former gang member, objected to being pressed to identify who was responsible for the shooting, saying he did not want to say anything that could help send Davis to prison.

Davis is accused of orchestrating Shakur’s death and has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say the shooting followed a fight in Las Vegas involving Davis’s nephew, Orlando Anderson, and that the attack was tied to gang conflict around the West Coast rap scene. McDonald told the court that he was not present when Shakur was shot, but said people connected to the rapper quickly learned who was involved and that there was a wider cycle of retaliation.

The testimony highlighted how the long-running case remains shaped by old loyalties, gang violence and reluctance to cooperate with authorities. McDonald repeatedly pushed back against defence questions and said he did not want to be part of putting Davis in prison, even while acknowledging he had little affection for him. The trial, which is being closely watched in the United States, is expected to continue in Las Vegas. BBC also reported testimony from Reggie Wright Jr., a former member of Shakur’s security detail and later Death Row Records manager.