Tupac Trial Update: James 'Mob James' McDonald Says 'I Don't Want To Send You to Prison' to Duane Davis

On the second day of Tupac Shakur's murder trial, Death Row ally James 'Mob James' McDonald testified and was repeatedly pressed to identify those responsible for the 25-year-old rapper's death.

McDonald is a member of the Mob Piru gang, a rival of trial suspect Duane 'Keffe D' Davis's affiliation, the Southside Compton Crips. Surprisingly, McDonald didn't want to answer questions that could harm Davis.

'I don't want to send you to prison,' the witness stated directly to Keffe D. He also said the same statement to the defendant's attorney, Michael Sanft, despite admitting that they don't like each other.

Although he was not with Shakur when the rapper was shot, McDonald said people within Shakur's entourage quickly communicated who they believed was responsible, and described the aftermath as 'a gang war .'

McDonald Pushed Back Against Questions

Despite being subpoenaed to appear, he repeatedly declined to answer questions about the gang tensions surrounding Shakur's 1996 killing and asked attorneys to treat him as a hostile witness.

He was visibly adamant in answering the questions regarding the tension between Compton factions after Shakur's shooting, explaining it 'wouldn't be good' for Davis.

He also cited that gang conflicts should stay in the past. 'You're asking me questions that can hurt him,' McDonald told Sanft before explaining that he had changed his life, and discussing his former gang life.

'I changed my life,' McDonald said, explaining that he was raising his grandchildren and did not want to be drawn back into the past.

When asked about who exactly was present in the drive-by shooting of Tupac, McDonald appeared to urge Davis to speak with his own lawyer, telling him: 'Talk to your lawyer, man, this dude is tripping.'

Despite not witnessing the shooting himself, McDonald said that it was a gang war, and that people were getting hurt and sought, among whom were Davis and his nephew, Anderson, who's believed to be the shooter of Shakur.

Ex-Death Row Security Head Testifies

Reggie Wright Jr., the former head of security for Death Row Records, also testified on Tuesday, where he described the escalating tensions surrounding Death Row and Bad Boy Records in the months before Tupac Shakur was killed.

Wright testified that security concerns increased significantly after Tupac released "Hit 'Em Up," his highly confrontational diss track aimed at Bad Boy Records and The Notorious B.I.G. He explained that doubling the rapper's security detail was due to speculations of the East and West Coast feud turning violent.

Wright Jr.'s testimony also cleared his involvement in Tupac's killing, which echoed McDonald's statement earlier, stating that it's impossible that the former security head played any role in the murder due to the rapper's importance to Death Row's business.

Trial Continues

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis continues to plead not guilty in relation to Tupac Shakur's murder. The second day of the trial shed light on his time as a leader of the South Side Compton Crips and the gang's alleged involvement in the case.

However, James 'Mob James' McDonald was reluctant to provide testimony he believed could help send Davis to prison.

The trial is expected to continue on Wednesday, as prosecutors and defence lawyers present further evidence surrounding one of the most infamous unresolved murders in music.