Tupac Murder Trial Faces Turbulence as 'Hostile' Witness Challenges Lawyers in Dramatic Courtroom Outburst

A HOSTILE witness clashed with attorneys during the murder trial of a Compton gang shot caller accused of plotting the drive-by shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur.

James McDonald, a former Mob Piru Bloods gangbanger, admitted to being against Duane “Keefe D” Davis at his murder trial despite his mutual dislike for each other.

When asked by prosecutor Binu Palal if he was voluntarily taking the stand, McDonald sharply responded, “Not at all,” adding that he was subpoenaed by the court.

McDonald, who goes by Mob James, dared the prosecutor to treat him as a hostile witness and was hesitant to provide details about the deadly rivalry between the Piru Bloods and the South Side Compton Crips in the 1990s.

“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,” he told prosecutors after being asked if he knew why Shakur and his entourage attacked at the in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996.

“I told every attorney that tried to get me to come here, you better treat me as a hostile witness, and I think that’s why I’m about to go down because you’re asking me questions – I can’t answer those questions.

“People put themselves in situations, like myself, I’m guilty as everybody else, I put myself in situations to protect something and somebody that didn’t have nothing to do with me.

“I did it for a paycheck. I did it on some just because. I’m older now, I get it, but we did things for all the wrong reasons at that time, in them days.”

McDonald, who was a lieutenant for Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight , became more irritated during cross-examination when he was asked by Davis’ defense attorney to describe the tension in Compton after Shakur’s shooting.

“You sure you want me to answer that?” McDonald asked Michael Sanft, Davis’ attorney.

“I have ways of wording it but you asking me a question and like I explained to [the prosecution] I don’t want to send [Davis] to prison,” he added pointing at Davis.

“Even though we don’t like each other. I don’t want to send him to prison. That’s why I’m here acting the way I am. You asking me questions that could hurt him.”

When Sanft continued to ask about his knowledge of the individuals that were present at the scene where Shakur was shot, McDonald scoffed at the question and put his head on the desk.

“Talk to your lawyer, man. This dude is tripping,” he told Davis.

“I’m not going to explain that. I can’t answer that.”

McDonald, who was on the stand for nearly 40 minutes, continued his combative attitude, saying the only reason he’s testifying is because he was threatened with being held in contempt of court if he didn’t show up.

“Like I explained to everybody in here, you ask me something I’m going to be honest about it,” he said.

“You ask me something I don’t want to talk about we gone have a problem. Treat me as a hostile witness.

“You’re not going to talk to me and tell me as a grown man what I have to do up here.

“I’m not finna send him to prison. You are,” McDonald said pointing at Sanft, who responded, “So the accusation now is because we’re trying to ask you questions you’re blaming it on me.”

McDonald clapped back, saying, “You’re asking me questions. If I answer your questions, we’re going to have a problem in here, a misunderstanding.

“You’re asking me something that wouldn’t be good for [Davis].”

Before stepping off the stand, McDonald apologized to the court and delivered a final message to Davis, saying, “What you’re going through, brother, is what you’re going through.

“I didn’t want to be a part of that and I’m not a part of that,” he told Davis, who remained stoic.

As Davis’ trial enters its third day, retired Los Angeles Police Detective Moses Castillo said the gang mantra of “snitches get stitches” continues to hang over the case.

“When you’re in this circle of gangs and gang involvement, you don’t want to be a snitch,” Castillo told Fox News.

“You don’t wanna be that person that’s being classified as a rat because as they say, snitches get stitches, and that is really true.”

Castillo said he believes the prosecution is going to have to call the co-author of Davis’ memoir, Compton Street Legend, to strengthen their case.

“I suspect the prosecution is going to have to have to call the writer of this book and ask him point-blank and directly: Did you write this based on what Davis told you,” Castillo, referring to Yusef Jah.

“And then if he says yes, and this is what he told me, then it’s gonna be very hard to dispute that fact.”