Nipsey Hussle’s Killer, Eric Holder, Loses Appeal as California Court Upholds Conviction

Eric Holder, convicted of murdering rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2019, has lost his appeal against the verdict. California’s Court of Appeal’s Second District denied Holder’s appeal on Tuesday (November 5), affirming the original 2022 trial ruling.

Holder’s appeal rested on two main arguments. First, he argued that his defense attorney was unfairly restricted during closing arguments, preventing him from asking the jury to consider Holder’s state of mind during the shooting. However, the appeals court rejected this claim, noting that such speculation wasn’t warranted since Holder chose not to testify.

The court’s ruling emphasized, “Appellant did not testify, and no other evidence about what appellant was thinking or feeling prior to the shooting was presented to the jury. Thus, the inferences about appellant’s specific thoughts and feelings that defense counsel purported to draw were not based on the evidence.”

Holder’s second argument centered on the addition of a firearm enhancement to his sentence, which he also lost. The court upheld the enhancement, stating that the “trial court fully understood and properly exercised its discretion” in applying it.

The death of Nipsey Hussle had a profound impact on the hip-hop world, which artists like Freddie Gibbs continue to feel deeply. Gibbs recently reflected on Nipsey’s death in his new song, “On the Set,” released on October 31 as part of his album You Only Die 1nce. In the track, Gibbs opens up about how Nipsey’s murder nearly led him to quit music altogether, rapping, “I was gonna retire from rap when I seen that s**t with Nipsey/ Crazy when that s**t hit your peers, that s**t be hitting different.”

Produced by Pops and Mischa Chilak, the track tackles the loss of influential figures like Nipsey Hussle, 2Pac, Biggie, Young Dolph, Rich Homie Quan, and Frankie Beverly, as well as Diddy’s recent legal troubles. In a raw verse, Gibbs raps, “God damn, they done got Diddy… Rest in peace to Rich Homie Quan/ You was too young to check out.”

Freddie Gibbs’ tribute captures the ongoing impact of these losses on the hip-hop community and his personal journey as an artist. Nipsey Hussle’s legacy remains influential, inspiring music that channels both grief and resilience as the genre processes the loss of one of its brightest voices.