Today (June 15), a jury will hear opening statements for the man charged with murdering Nipsey Hussle.
As previously reported by REVOLT, Hussle (born Ermias Joseph Asghedom) was fatally shot outside his Marathon Clothing Store in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles on March 31, 2019. His death shocked his loved ones, the hip hop community and fans around the world.
The person charged in his death has been identified as 32-year-old Eric Ronald Holder Jr.
A 12-person panel has been sworn in to hear testimony along with six alternate jurors who were chosen yesterday (June 14). The trial is scheduled to happen in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.
In May 2019, Holder was indicted on one count each of murder and possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts each of attempted murder and assault with a firearm.
At the time, Deputy District Attorney John McKinney told the grand jury that just before the deadly incident, Holder approached the victim and an argument that “had something to do with Mr. Asghedom accusing Mr. Holder of snitching, which, in the gang world, is a very serious offense” took place.
McKinney continued, “Apparently the conversation had something to do with Mr. Asghedom telling Mr. Holder that word on the street was that Mr. Holder was snitching. The conversation wasn’t particularly intense, it wasn’t particularly belligerent, and it lasted for about four minutes.”
He added that something in their exchange was “enough that it moved Eric Holder to a point of wanting to return to the parking lot and kill Nipsey Hussle.”
According to Deputy Medical Examiner Lawrence Nguyen, the “Victory Lap” rapper suffered 11 gunshot wounds, however, two of the wounds could have been caused by the same bullet.
Holder has remained in jail since his arrest on April 2, 2019.