CBS Los Angeles reported that Eric Holder, who was charged with the murder of Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey, was found guilty on Wednesday of first-degree murder. The jury deliberated for six hours before arriving at its verdict.
Holder, 32, was also charged with attempted first-degree murder after two witnesses were shot by gunfire. However, the jury found Holder guilty of two counts for voluntary manslaughter.
Hussle, Ermias Asghedom was killed in an attack at his Los Angeles clothing shop in March 2019. He was 33.
Prosecutors claimed that Holder’s attack on Hussle was premeditated and calculated when the trial began last month. John McKinney, Deputy District Attorney, stated that Holder knew he would kill Hussle. He also claimed Holder shot Hussle at minimum 10 times, kicked him in his head, and then ran away according to the AP.
McKinney claimed that there was a dispute between them — Hussle had heard Holder call him a snitch, and wanted to “clear it up,” according to the AP. According to McKinney, Holder was among the victims of the attack. He said that Holder had been having a conversation with Hussle and two of his friends before the attack.
Prosecutors had difficulty getting witnesses to testify. According to the AP, one police officer attributed their reluctance as a fear of being called a snitch.
Aaron Jansen, Holder’s lawyer, told the jury that Hussle was not the one who planned Hussle’s death and that Holder did not intend to shoot the bystanders. According to the AP, Holder attributed the attack to “heated passion”.
Jansen said Holder was attacked last week by “multiple people” in jail. Jansen stated that Holder was allegedly shaved with a razor. He was then taken to hospital for an MRI and staples at the back of the head.
Victoria Albert contributed reporting.
