Key facts
- James "Mob James" McDonald, a former gang member, testified in the murder trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis.
- McDonald refused to identify who was responsible for Tupac Shakur's death, stating he did not want to send Davis to prison.
- Davis is charged with orchestrating Shakur's murder in 1996.
- Reggie Wright Jr., a former member of Shakur's security detail, also testified.
- Davis's defense team questioned Wright's role and suggested he might be involved.
- Davis had previously made public statements admitting involvement in the shooting but later claimed parts were fictionalized.
During the second day of the murder trial for Duane "Keffe D" Davis, accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur's 1996 death, a key witness displayed significant reluctance to testify. James "Mob James" McDonald, a former gang member and associate of Shakur's entourage, became combative under cross-examination, expressing his unwillingness to implicate Davis. McDonald stated he was threatened with contempt of court if he did not take the stand. When pressed to identify who was responsible for Shakur's death, McDonald pointed to Davis and declared, "I'm not going to send him to prison, you are." He explained that while he did not witness the shooting, those present quickly communicated the perpetrators, identifying Davis and his nephew, Orlando Anderson, as targets in a gang war. McDonald, who was an enforcer at Death Row Records, maintained he was not with Shakur at the time of the shooting. Reggie Wright Jr., a former member of Shakur's security detail and later general manager of Death Row Records, also testified. Davis's defense attorney questioned Wright about his role and suggested he might be involved, noting his increased responsibilities after Suge Knight's departure from the label. The trial, which aims to resolve one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries, has gained traction after Davis himself made public statements about the case, though he has since claimed parts of his memoir were fictionalized.