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Nipsey Hussle murder trial update: Eric Holder Jr found guilty after gunning down rapper in parking lot argument
NIPSEY Hussle's murder suspect has been found guilty more than three years after gunning down the rapper in the parking lot of his clothing store.
A Los Angeles jury convicted suspect Eric Holder, 32, of first-degree murder in connection to the rapper's March 2019 death.
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Holder was also convicted of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and assault with a firearm for shooting and wounding two other men that day.
Nipsey, born Ermias Asghedom, was shot and killed outside his Marathon clothing store in South .
According to a friend's testimony, an argument unfolded between Nipsey and Holder just 10 minutes before the famed LA rapper was killed.
The rapper's close friend, Herman Douglas, argued that Nipsey mentioned neighborhood rumors to Holder that he was "snitching" to law enforcement officials.
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Douglas testified: "[Nipsey] told him friend to friend, ‘I heard some paperwork floating around.'
"He said, 'If you ain't telling, you need to handle it. You just caught a case — we need to know your paperwork!'"
Speaking to a grand jury, Deputy District Attorney John McKinney said Holder approached Nipsey before the pair had a quick chat.
According to court transcripts, McKinney said: "Apparently, the conversation had something to do with [Nispey] telling Mr. Holder that word on the street was that Mr. Holder was snitching."
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McKinney noted that snitching was highly offensive among gang members, Reuters reports.
Douglas testified that he, along with both Nipsey and Holder, were all members of a street gang called the South Los Angeles Rollin 60s Crips.
However, Douglas claimed he is no longer involved as a member of the gang.
Douglas also testified that Holder didn't appear upset when Nispey spoke about the alleged "snitching."
However, Douglas testified that he heard Holder denounce the rumors as "bulls**t" and claim people were "hatin' on me."
He recounted in his testimony how Nipsey and Holder shook hands after talking.
Following the "snitching talk," Nipsey's accused killer left the scene in a vehicle and returned soon after to shoot the rapper, court papers said.
Douglas said the deadly shooting occurred 10 minutes after Nipsey and Holder concluded their conversation.
Holder's defense attorney acknowledged during the trial that his client had pulled the trigger but argued that the crime occurred in the “heat of passion” and was not premeditated, as the prosecutors have charged.
HOLDER 'KICKED' NIPSEY'S LIFELESS BODY
Prosecutors argued that Holder allegedly kicked the rapper in the head as his bullet-riddled body laid on the parking lot floor.
The suspect's kick to Nipsey's head showed the March 2019 attack was personal, prosecutors alleged.
McKinney told the jury that Holder walked over to the rapper after opening fire and told him: "You're through".
Prosecutors said Nipsey replied: "You got me," before Holder took off from the scene.
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After the shooting, Nipsey was transported to a local hospital with gunshot wounds to his head and torso - where he eventually died of his injuries.
Holder was arrested a few days after the shooting and charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
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