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Nearly four years have passed since Eric Holder. Jr murdered rapper Nipsey Hussle. On Wednesday, he received a sentence of 60 years to life in prison.
The Los Angles Times reports that Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke II sentenced Holder to 25 years to life for murdering the rapper and an additional 25 years to life based on a sentencing enhancement because he used a gun. The outlet added the 32-year-old also received a sentence of an additional 10 years for two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for injuring two other men in the incident.
It was reported that Holder was not eligible for the death penalty. However, due to the overwhelming evidence presented against him, his sentence guaranteed he would be behind bars for the rest of his life.
A Heated Confrontation Led To Murder
Holder shot the rapper, whose legal name was Ermias Asghedom, on March 31, 2019. Hussle, 33, was outside his apparel retail location, Marathon Clothing Store, near Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard. Holder confronted the rapper regarding allegations that he had accused Holder of being a “snitch.”
The two exchanged words, and Holder left, only to return with two loaded guns. Surveillance footage from outside of the store captured Holder opening fire on Hussle. He shot the rapper 11 times.
The New York Post mentioned two other men were shot while standing with Hussle. Kerry Lathan was left paralyzed, and Shermi Cervinta Villanueva suffered a graze wound.
The Evidence Against Holder Was Undeniable
Holder was convicted of first-degree murder on July 6, 2022. Evidence presented included a statement from Bryannita Nicholson, who was on a date with Holder and in the car when he went to confront Hussle. According to the NY Post, she testified she saw Holder load a semi-automatic weapon with bullets while he was in her car.
Along with several witnesses and the surveillance footage, even Holder’s defense attorney, Aaron Jansen, admitted that his client shot the Grammy-winning artist. He argued that the shooting happened as a reaction to the heated argument the two had. Documents from the July proceedings revealed that the two had grown up together and were members of the same gang, the Rollin 60s Crips, when they were younger.
Jansen attempted to argue that Holder had a severe mental illness. He cited a letter that Holder’s father wrote claiming he had been diagnosed with auditory schizophrenia at age 19. He also presented pictures of his client’s head injury after being attacked in prison. He implied the attack was because of his connection to the murder of such a public figure.
His arguments did not win over Judge Jacke, as he handed down the sentence shortly after.
No one from Hussle’s family attended Wednesday’s sentencing, including his longtime girlfriend and son’s mother, Lauren London, and brother, Samuel’ Black Sam’ Asghedom.
CNN shared an exerpt from a letter that Holder’s father submitted to the court apologizing on behalf of his son. “I know there are not enough words or apologies that will fill the void, the loss, the pain, the deep sorrow the family of Ermias Asghedom (Nipsey Hussle) is experiencing. You cannot imagine the agony, the grief, the utter disbelief and devastation I feel knowing my son, Eric Jr., took another person’s life.”
Nipsey’s Legacy
At the time of his murder, Hussle was a revered figure in the rap industry and community. He was an advocate for entrepreneurship and financial literacy. He was a father of two (Emani, 13, and Cross, 6) and founder of the All Money In record label.
His last album, The Victory Lap, was released in February 2018. It earned the rapper a Grammy nomination for “best rap album.” He would later go on to win two posthumous Grammys in 2020.