Nipsey Hussle’s final words to his accused killer Eric Holder detailed by prosecutors in his murder trial.
The man on trial for the murder of Nipsey Hussle is accused of plotting the rapper’s murder despite his attorney claiming that he acted in a moment of rage.
The trial began on Wednesday (June 15), with Deputy District Attorney John McKinney in opening arguments stating that there is substantial evidence that shows without a doubt that the accused, Eric Holder, knew in advance that he would kill the rapper.
It’s been more than three years since the gruesome death of the rapper, who was shot almost a dozen times with two guns by Holder. The prosecution says that Holder, who is known to the rapper and is an associate, was calculated and acted in a premeditated way.
The prosecutor says Holder’s actions were that of a man upset about allegations of snitching.
In describing the sequence of events leading up to the brutal death of the rapper, McKinney told the jury that the argument about “snitching” set off Holder, who left after the conversation and returned nine (9) minutes later fully armed with two guns and shot Nipsey 10 times. While he lay dying, Holder kicked him in the head as the two exchanged words.
“[He] pulls out not one but two guns and starts shooting” after the two had a conversation about alleged “snitching,” the prosecutor says. The convo in reference was that Nipsey told Holder there was word on the street that he might be a snitch.
The prosecutor says that surveillance footage from the Hyde Park area store shows Holder shooting from his left hand and his right hand.
“He clearly thought about what he was going to do before he did it,” McKinney told jurors whose main job is to find that beyond a reasonable doubt, Holder had the intention to murder the rapper, NBC News reported.
The prosecution also disclosed other spine-chilling details of the shooting as he pointed out the injuries that the rapper sustained, noting it was impossible he could have survived the attack. Even if he did, he’d be in very bad shape.
“[Hussle was] shot from literally the bottom of his feet to the top of his head,” the prosecutor said, pointing out that if he had lived, he’d be a paraplegic as one bullet “transected his spine.”
A transcript of the exchange was also shared with Holder telling the rapper, “You’re through,” the prosecutor said.
As he was on the ground being shot, Nipsey said, “You got me.”
Holder, 32, is also an aspiring rapper and is on trial for one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, assault with a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
One of his attorneys, Aaron Jansen, however, argued for a lesser sentence for Holder noting that he didn’t intend to kill the rapper and that he was “so enraged” about the rapper’s accusation that he acted “without thinking” and “acted without premeditation” in shooting the rapper.
“In fact, it should be voluntary manslaughter because he was acting in the heat of passion,” Jansen said as he told the jury that he is confident Holder will be acquitted of first-degree murder charges and the two attempted murder counts (for two persons who were also shot during the incident).
Nipsey Hussle, who was widely mourned by his spouse Lauren London and family, was also deeply respected in the hip-hop community and his South L.A. community of Crenshaw where he grew up and worked to actively make a change.
Nipsey Hussle was just 33 years old at the time of his death and left behind two children. A daughter from a previous relationship and a son with his widow Lauren London.
