Nipsey Hussle’s killer, Eric Holder, is looking to have his murder conviction reduced to voluntary manslaughter, potentially shaving decades off his eventual sentence.
Holder, 33, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday (November 2) for what was supposed to be his sentencing for fatally shooting Nipsey outside his Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles in March 2019.
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But according to Rolling Stone, Holder’s lawyer, Aaron Jansen, asked to return to court on December 1 to argue an unspecified motion ahead of a new sentencing, which has been pushed to December 19.
Jansen later revealed the motion will argue that jurors returned an “inconsistent” verdict when they convicted Holder of premeditated murder over Nipsey Hussle’s death, yet accepted his “heat of passion” defense regarding the two other shooting victims, Kerry Lathan and Shermi Villanueva.
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Holder was convicted of attempted voluntary manslaughter relating to Lathan and Villanueva, who were stood next to Nipsey at the time of the shooting and survived their gunshot wounds. The shooting occurred after Holder believed the rapper had accused him of being a “snitch.”
“If heat of passion worked for the other two gentleman, then why did it not work for Mr. Asghedom?” Jansen said after the hearing. “It was one heat of passion. It wasn’t like the other two gentleman had their own separate provocation with no cooling-off period.
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“It was all one event. If he was provoked and didn’t have time to cool off for the other two guys, how did he have time to cool off with Nipsey Hussle?”
Rolling Stone suggests the motion is a long shot, but if successful, it could shave decades off Holder’s sentence. Holder is currently facing 50 years to life in prison for his murder and personal use of a firearm convictions.
As the harrowing case drags on, Nipsey Hussle’s loved ones continue to keep his legacy alive. In August, the late rapper was honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Nipsey’s longtime partner Lauren London paid tribute to him at the unveiling ceremony.
“Nip would have been honored by this moment. I think he would want everyone to remember that you can’t get to what’s possible unless you commit to moving forward,” she said. “That doesn’t mean forgetting where you come from, but requires acknowledging the reality you were born into and the power you have to change that reality for the better.
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“So whenever you’re in the city of angels and you see this star, I hope it encourages you to break away from whatever might be holding you back and for you to run your marathon until God says that it’s finished. Nip will forever live in our hearts.”
Nipsey Hussle’s grandmother, who sadly passed away in October, also spoke at the ceremony and described her grandson as “the love of my life.”
