Eric Holder Jr., the man convicted of first-degree murder in the 2019 shooting that killed rapper Nipsey Hussle has been sentenced to 60 years to life in prison on Wednesday. The sentence was handed down in a Los Angeles courtroom by Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke, with Holder dressed in orange jail attire while failing to show any emotion as the ruling was made.
As we previously reported, Holder’s sentencing had been delayed on several occasions — most recently in November when his legal team contended that they wanted to have his conviction reduced to second-degree murder or manslaughter. The following month, however, the judge rejected the motion, and a new sentencing date was set for February 22.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Man convicted in 2019 fatal shooting of rapper Nipsey Hussle sentenced to 60 years to life in prison.
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 22, 2023
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On March 31, 2019, Hussle was gunned down by Holder who struck the rapper with at least 10 bullets following a dispute outside of the Marathon Store near Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, owned by the father of two. He was only 33 years old. During the trial, it was said that Holder allegedly kicked Hussle in the head after the shooting and fled from the scene with a semi-automatic pistol in his hand.
In his defense, his attorney, Aaron Jansen tried to convince the jury that the crime took place in a moment of “heated passion” and that after Holder and Hussle had their heated conversation, the convicted felon didn’t have time to cool off from the quarrel as he disappeared from the store, only to return with two handguns, per the LA Times, that subsequently ended Hussle’s life.
One of Hussle’s friends, Herman Douglas, who was at Wednesday’s hearing explained to the court before the sentencing how his death had left a huge hole in their community, particularly since Hussle provided for so many people. Those who once depended on him have now been left feeling desperate for work, with Douglas adding that the community has “lost everything” since the “Double Up” star’s death.
He won’t last a year in CDC. PC or not he will literally have to survive every minute.
— P G (@PRG311) February 22, 2023
RELATED: Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s Convicted Killer, Eric Holder, To Be Sentenced Today
“Everything we worked for. … thousands of jobs we don’t have no more. Homies don’t have nothing to do,” he explained. They backsliding they robbing people now,” Douglas said. “All our stores are closed down. The whole community relied on Nip.”