Eric Holder’s trial for the alleged killing of Nipsey Hussle could begin next month. According to New York Daily News, presiding Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Perry announced that he’s hoping to begin the trial in late March or early April.
“Mr. Holder, as you know, this is an important case and a serious case,” Perry had reportedly said during a hearing on Wednesday (Feb. 19). “These cases take time to get ready for trial. You have the right to a speedy trial.”
The trial is scheduled to last two weeks and is expected to end by April 14.
“Are you ok that we continue this case, and you come back on March 18 and we do our best to start your trial within 30 days? Are you ok with that?” Perry had asked Holder, to which he replied, “Yeah.”
If the trial begins in late March, it could coincide with the one-year anniversary of Hussle’s murder.
Back in September, Holder’s defense attorney attempted to have two of Holder’s six charges dropped. However, prosecutors argued that Holder had shot with intent to kill Hussle, citing guidelines ruled out in the Kill Zone Theory. Judge Perry subsequently denied the motion to remove the charges in November.
Holder is currently charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of felony possession of a firearm.
He was previously represented by Christopher Darden, who was a lawyer in the 1995 O.J. Simpson trial. However, Darden took himself off the case soon after it began, claiming he had received death threats for his involvement.
Holder was indicted by a grand jury on May 9, 2019. He has previously pleaded not guilty to all six charges. If convicted, he could face a life sentence.
Hussle was gunned down outside of his The Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles on March 31, 2019. Holder was arrested two days later in a city around 20 miles from the crime scene.