Nipsey Hussle Case: Eric Holder Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder

More than three years after Nipsey Hussle was killed in a shooting outside of his Los Angeles clothing store, a jury has reached their verdict in the case of his accused killer, Eric Holder.

By Kisha Forde Jul 06, 2022 6:17 PMTags
Watch: Nipsey Hussle's Accused Killer Found Guilty of Murder

Three years after Nipsey Hussle's tragic death, a jury found his accused killer Eric Holder guilty of first-degree murder.
 
In addition to being found guilty of first-degree murder, he was also convicted on two charges of attempted voluntary manslaughter and one count of possession of a firearm.

Holder's attorney, Aaron Jansen, responded to the verdict in a statement to E! News. "I am deeply disappointment in the first-degree murder verdict," Jansen said. "It was always going to be a tough given the high profile circumstances surrounding the case.  We are grateful that the jury agreed with us, in part, that the case was overcharged and acquitted Mr. Holder, Jr. of the two attempted murder charges."

The jury's verdict—which was read in court on July 6—comes after Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, died in a shooting in front his Los Angeles clothing store in March 2019. Hussle died from multiple gunshot wounds located in the head and torso. He was 33 years old.

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Nipsey Hussle's Celebration of Life

In a statement released by the LAPD at the time, the authorities alleged the suspect, later identified as Holder, approached the musician and two other men, fired "numerous" shots and then fled the scene in a vehicle waiting nearby.

Following the incident, Holder—who was arrested in April 2019—was charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was also accused of using a firearm and caused great bodily injury and death.

Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Warner Music

During the trial's closing arguments, prosecutors told jurors that Holder, 32, should be convicted on the charge of murder for the "personal" attack that happened against Hussle, according to Fox Los Angeles.

District Attorney John McKinney also referred to the incident as "cold-blooded" and "calculated," stating that Holder had "quite a bit of time for premeditation and deliberation." Holder's defense attorney argued that although his client "shot and killed" Hussle, it was "an act of impulse and rashness," per the outlet.

Hussle's career began in the mid-2000s with his numerous mixtapes, culminating with his one and only album, Victory Lap, being released in 2018. After his death, Hussle won two posthumous awards at the 2020 Grammys.
 
Holder faces a possible maximum sentence of life in state prison.

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