A Los Angeles Judge on Wednesday (February 22) sentenced Eric Holder to 60 years to life for the 2019 shooting of rapper Nipsey Hussle.
Holder, who was found guilty of first degree murder back in July shot Nipsey Hussle – real name: Airmiess Joseph Asghedom – outside of his Marathon Clothing store in the South Los Angeles neighborhood. Hussle was signing autographs outside the clothing store he owned when Holder approached him and shot him 11 times.
Eric R. Holder Jr., 33, struck two other men who survived during the attack and was also found guilty of 2 counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter, 2 counts of assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Prosecutors argued the attack was personal and highlighted the moment Holder kicked Hussle in the head after shooting him as proof. However, defense attorney Aaron Jansen said that his client was not in his right mind at the time of the incident and was acting out of fear because Hussle, who, like Holder, was a member of the Rollin 60s gang in South LA had just accused him of being an informant for authorities.
“This was a serious accusation… Mr. Holder Jr. took it serious, as it was,” Jansen said during closing arguments, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. “He knows the consequences of being called a snitch in this manner.”
Jansen also moved for Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke to reduce Holder’s conviction to manslaughter or second-degree murder. However, the evidence against Holder was so overwhelming that the judge rejected this motion in December.
According to the Associated Press, Hussle’s partner and the mother of his two young children, Lauren London did not attend any part of the trial.
