Eric R. Holder Jr., the man who was caught on video killing rap star Nipsey Hussle three years ago, was found guilty of first-degree murder today by a Los Angeles County jury. As the New York Times reports, Holder, 32, will be sentenced Sept. 15 and could face a life sentence.
Because Holder can be seen on security camera footage shooting Nipsey (born Airmiess Joseph Asghedom) outside the rapper's Marathon clothing store with two guns, and because multiple witnesses and Holder's own public defender identified him as the killer, the main question in the trial was whether the killing was premeditated. Prosecutors reportedly painted Holder as an embittered acquaintance who had belonged to the same gang as Nipsey and felt disrespected by him. Holder's lawyers argued that he pulled the trigger in the "heat of passion" rather than hatching a plan after a confrontation with Hussle nine minutes early. The jury agreed with the prosecution.
Holder was also found guilty of two counts of voluntary manslaughter due to wounding two bystanders in the shooting, plus a charge of possessing a firearm as a felon and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
