Topline
Eric R. Holder Jr., the 32-year-old man who killed rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle, was sentenced to 60 years in prison Wednesday, nearly four years after the Grammy-nominated artist was shot dead outside of his South L.A. clothing store.
Holder Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder in Hussle’s death.
Key Facts
Eric R. Holder Jr. was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault with a firearm for gunfire that injured two others.
Judge H. Clay Jacke delayed Holder’s sentencing to allow defense attorney Aaron Jennsen to appeal Holder’s first-degree murder charge—reducing it to manslaughter or second-degree murder—though Jacke rejected the appeal in December.
Evidence against Holder included eyewitnesses and surveillance footage, though Jensen—who conceded that Holder had shot Hussle—argued a heated conversation between the two had led to the shooting, according to the Associated Press.
Surprising Fact
Holder received an MRI and ended up getting staples in the back of his head after he was assaulted at a Los Angeles County jail during the trial, according to Jansen.
Key Background
Hussle, who was 33 when he was killed, had been producing music for years before he put out his debut studio album, Victory Lap, in 2018, which was Grammy-nominated. After his death, Hussle received two posthumous Grammy Awards. Hussle—born Ermias Asghedom—was shot by Holder at least 10 times following a chance meeting outside a Hyde Park-based store owned by Hussle, The Marathon Clothing, in March 2019. Hussle and Holder had grown up together and were both members of the Rollin’ 60s Crips gang. Hussle told Holder he had heard rumors Holder was speaking to police about the group, and the rapper told Holder “you need to address it,” according to the Associated Press. Holder’s lawyer Aaron Jansen noted during the trial that his client had pulled the trigger, but the shooting was not premeditated and he argued Holder instead should have been charged with voluntary manslaughter.
Tangent
Hussle was known for his initiatives and efforts to revitalize the South L.A. community while bringing further access to its citizens, including a STEM program, a co-working space, his store and a museum. “If the streets listen to you and respect you, and the boardroom listens and respects you—you’ve got a job to do,” he told Forbes in 2018.
Further Reading
Nipsey Hussle Murder: Eric R. Holder Jr. Found Guilty Of Killing Rapper (Forbes)
The Art Of Being Self-Made: A Conversation With Nipsey Hussle (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/02/22/nipsey-hussles-killer-eric-r-holder-jr-sentenced-to-60-years-in-prison/