The man convicted in the shooting death of rapper Nipsey Hussle was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison during a court hearing in the US.
A jury determined that Eric Ronald Holder Jr shot Hussle outside the hip-hop artist’s clothing store in March 2019. Prosecutors alleged that Holder approached Hussle over allegations he had called him a snitch.
Holder was sentenced to up to 25 years for shooting Hussle and an extra 25 years for firearm enhancements added to the charge. He was also convicted of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for injuring two other men in the incident, for which he was sentenced to an additional 10 years.
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Holder’s father submitted a letter to the court apologising on behalf of his son.
“I know there are not enough words or apologies that will fill the void, the loss, the pain, the deep sorrow the family of Ermias Asghedom (Nipsey Hussle) is experiencing. You cannot imagine the agony, the grief, the utter disbelief and devastation I feel knowing my son, Eric Jr, took another person’s life,” said the letter, which was read aloud for the record.
Holder’s father also detailed the circumstances of his son’s childhood, spoke about his mental health and noted that his son’s mother died about two months before Hussle’s fatal shooting.
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Holder was found guilty in July 2022 of first-degree murder in shooting death of the late rapper.
Hussle, born Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was fatally shot on March 31, 2019 in South Los Angeles. He was 33.
A father of two and a successful entrepreneur, Hussle was the founder of record label All Money In.
Hussle collaborated with dozens of artists during his career, including Kendrick Lamar, Drake, YG, Ty Dolla Sign, Meek Mill and Young Thug.