After three years of what seemed like a never-ending legal saga surrounding Nipsey Hussle’s murder, his killer, 33-year-old Eric R. Holder, Jr. finally received his sentence on Wednesday.
Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke II handed down Holder’s sentence of “25 years to life for the murder, an additional 25 years for a firearm sentencing enhancement and 10 years for assault with a firearm,” with almost four years credited towards that sentence for time “served since the shooting.”
“I am very mindful of what was presented as to Mr. Holder’ mental health…I am also mindful of the devastation caused to the victims and their families. I believe this sentence balances the two,” said Jacke.
Born Airmiess Joseph Asghedom, entrepreneur, rapper, and philanthropist Nipsey Hussle was much beloved by his Los Angeles community before his life was senselessly cut short at the young age of 33, after being fatally shot down by Holder outside of the Marathon Clothing Store Hussle owned in 2019.
Ironically enough both Holder and Hussle were from the same South Los Angeles neighborhood and “grew up in very similar circumstances,” the Associated Press reports. Having known each other for years, “[b]oth were aspiring rappers,” and members of the same gang. “But Holder never found the same success as Hussle,” and their paths diverged. While Hussle would go on to become a local hero, Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, and national celebrity, court testaments show that Holder suffered from abuse and struggled with mental illness for much of his life.
According to the New York Times, “There was no dispute that Mr. Holder pulled the trigger. Multiple witnesses and even Mr. Jansen [Holder’s public defender] identified Mr. Holder as the assailant who fired toward Hussle with two handguns, hitting the rapper at least 10 times, then kicking him in the head.”
Herman “Cowboy” Douglas who was standing with Hussle during the shooting, delivered an impact statement before the sentencing, “Nipsey was my friend, he was like a son, he was like a dad…Our community right now, we lost everything, everything we worked for. One man’s mistake, one man’s action, messed up a whole community.”
After talking about how Marathon and many of the surrounding stores have since closed down, that means “the homies don’t have nothing to do… I don’t care what you give this guy. It ain’t about the time. I just want to know why. The world wants to know why. Why someone would do that?”
In a statement, George Gascón, Los Angeles County District Attorney, said “Nipsey Hussle was a beloved member of our community…His legacy will continue to inspire our work.”
Last year on August 15, Hussle would have turned 37, and on his birthday he was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.