The attorney representing murder defendant John "Big Rock" Lewis cross-examined the prosecution's star witness, Bakari Pitts, on Monday about robberies, dope-dealing and his relationship with Lewis.

Lewis is accused of paying Pitts $5,000 to kill Fred Williams of Oxnard after Lewis ordered the hit.

Lewis' lawyer, Steven Powell, tried to portray Pitts as a dope-dealing liar who thought he was going to get the death penalty for shooting Williams so he pointed an accusatory finger at Lewis.

Powell questioned Pitts about his inconsistent statements to police and his relationship with Lewis.

Pitts admitted that he was motivated to go to the police when he found out that he could get the death penalty for the killing, which occurred May 12, 2006, on a road in the Somis area.

Pitts said that Williams owed him $200 but that he would never hurt someone for owing him money.

"Who did you rob?" Powell asked.

"Just people in the streets," Pitts replied.

Pitts was on the stand for the second day Monday, giving jurors a look inside the Oxnard-based Black Mafia, a criminal street gang.

Prosecutors allege that Lewis was the shot-caller for the gang, and Pitts described himself as a high-ranking member.

He said he looked up to Lewis and called him "Big Homie."

"In your way of thinking, Rocky is a pretty cagey sort of guy?" Powell asked.

"Yes," Pitts replied.

Powell's questions were aimed at minimizing his client's role in the Black Mafia. Prosecutors and detectives say Lewis is the gang's leader who ran his criminal operation from the Speezy Tattoo and Piercing Studio in Los Angeles.

Pitts said he went there many times to get work from Lewis. Pitts said Lewis directed him to do two separate robberies, which were botched by Pitts and other gang members or associates.

Pitts, who lived in Oxnard and other places in Ventura County, testified that he sold drugs but didn't get his supply from Lewis because Lewis lived in Los Angeles. Pitts testified about how he bought and sold dope, including crack cocaine, to people on the streets.

"You know as you were selling dope to them that it was destroying their brains?" Powell asked.

"Yes," Pitts answered.

Pitts said Lewis and another Black Mafia gang member, Kufanya Gentry, whose gang moniker is "Drop," wanted Williams dead as payback for being involved in the shooting of Gentry, who survived the attack.

Also, they believed that Williams was a police snitch, or informant, said Pitts.

He said Lewis told him that somebody needs to "take care" of Williams. Gentry offered to do it, but Lewis said Pitts should do it, Pitts testified.

"Rocky said, You should do it. You hang around him,'" Pitts told jurors.