DX: And I remember in 2003 you told me that one of the errors in the interpretation of your piece back then was that it wasn’t that Biggie went out and actively sought assassins for Tupac, but that he was basically extorted into financing it.
CP: Absolutely. And that story was completely misrepresented everywhere it was re-reported, but I can’t do anything about that. And it’s the same thing here. Henchmen’s doing the same thing here.

DX: Well, how do you convince the Hip Hop community that this new story is valid, how would you suggest that they interpret the report of the informant’s statements, just that the first half is accurate but the second half may not be?
CP: Well, I don’t really know whether it is or isn’t. I didn’t investigate that. All I’m saying is I reported my information not based on what this informant said. That [report of his statements to the F.B.I.] came to me after I got this information. But a lot of the things that were said in that document conformed to what I had learned on my own. And so I used it for that purpose. It’s completely a source that I hadn’t any contact with when I did my reporting, and he was saying almost the same things that I had found out.

DX: And can you tell me how many sources you interviewed in the process of your reporting?
CP: I’m not gonna give you a number but several.

DX: And the assailants of Shakur, did you speak to them just the one time or have you had an opportunity to do follow-up interviews?
CP: One of ‘em just denied everything. The other one I had two contacts with, and the other one I had three. And there was another person involved in this thing that I spoke repeatedly with.

DX: Will you or the Times pay to have the medallion stolen from Tupac during the assault produced – as offered by one of the assailants – to prove the validity of the claims made in your piece?
CP: [Laughs]. We’re not gonna pay for it. People want money from me all the time for information, and we can’t do that. You might be able to pay him [for the medallion] if you want.

DX: Now you say in your report though that these other sources, the perpetrators of the assault, discussed the Quad shooting with you on condition that their names not be published. That’s understandable considering they may fear retribution if named, but why weren’t any direct quotes from these additional sources placed into your piece? Why not include direct quotes attributed to these unnamed sources to reinforce the validity of the claims made in the piece?
CP: Well one problem with that is people will still know who they are. The people who were in on this particular thing with them know who they are, and so I don’t wanna in any way [jeopardize their safety]. In fact we had that discussion here [at the L.A. Times] about things that I have in writing by people. But I didn’t wanna put them in the story because they have a certain way of speaking that somebody might [recognize] who it is. I don’t really want anybody to know who I’m talking to. If you’re giving me a bunch of information about some kind of assault you don’t want anybody to know [it was you who told me]. You try to disguise it as best you can.

DX: Do you think there’s a possibility based on conversations you had of any follow-up pieces where maybe more will come out from these sources?
CP: I think there’s gonna be more that comes out, but not about this particular incident, about some other stuff.

DX: Speaking of, you said you’re working on a piece regarding the Biggie murder case?
CP: Yeah. And these sources have led me in directions I didn’t… Like, this particular story came along and I didn’t even know it was gonna happen. And the people who were involved in this thing led me to things I didn’t know about that are kind of interesting in the Hip Hop world. And I’ll probably report those things if I can verify them.

DX: Can you give us any kind of preview?
CP: Not right now, until I find out even if it’s true I have no idea [if I’m even going to report on those things].

DX: My final question I have is just regarding the possible aftermath of your current piece. Jimmy Henchmen is now essentially threatening you and/or the Times with a lawsuit. Are you prepared to possibly defend the contents of your report in a court of law?
CP: Oh yeah. I mean, he’s already sent two letters threatening to sue us before the story ran. I got no problem, we can go into court anytime me and Jimmy Henchmen.