A Los Angeles judge sentenced the man convicted of shooting Nipsey Hussle to 60 years to life in prison after hearing testimony about the enormous cost of the hip-hop star and neighborhood leader’s death, as well as the man who shot him’s lifetime of mental illness, abuse, and struggle.
Superior Court Judge H Clay Jacke II sentenced Eric R Holder Jr, 33, on Wednesday for the 2019 first-degree murder of the 33-year-old Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist outside the Marathon clothing store Hussle founded in the South Los Angeles neighborhood where both men grew up.
In July, jurors convicted Holder of two counts of attempted voluntary homicide and two counts of attack with a weapon for gunshots that struck two other men at the site who survived.
Holder was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for homicide, an additional 25 years for a weapon sentencing enhancement, and ten years for assault with a firearm. He added several other sentences and directed that others run concurrently.
He also praised Holder for the nearly four years he has been in prison since the attack.
Holder, clad in orange prison garb, looked straight ahead throughout the proceedings, did not respond when the punishment was announced, and only spoke to the court when asked if he comprehended the conditions.
In an impact statement before the sentence was handed down, Herman “Cowboy” Douglas, a close friend of Hussle who was standing with him when he was killed and testified during the trial, told the judge that the killing was a tremendous loss both for him personally and for the South Los Angeles community where Hussle was a business leader, and an inspiration.
Actor Lauren London, who was Hussle’s partner and the mother of his two young children, did not attend any part of the trial, nor did any of his relatives, and none gave similar impact statements.
Author-Ahanta Bred
