|
 Eric Ronald Holder, 29, entered his pleas to murder and
attempted murder charges through his attorney during a brief
hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Holder appeared in court behind bars in a holding cell and spoke
only to acknowledge his rights. He was ordered held on $5
million bail and told to return for a hearing on May 10.
Holder was represented in the high-profile case by Chris Darden
who, as a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney in the
1990s, unsuccessfully prosecuted former football star O.J.
Simpson for murder.
Darden asked Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Teresa Sullivan to
ban cameras from the courtroom, a request she denied. Darden
declined to speak to reporters as he left the courthouse.
Hussle, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, was shot multiple
times on March 31 outside his Marathon Clothing store in south
Los Angeles. Two other people were wounded by gunfire.
PERSONAL DISPUTE
Holder was taken into custody on Tuesday in the Los Angeles
suburb of Bellflower after a caller reported seeing the man
police had named as a suspect. Investigators say the slaying was
motivated by a personal dispute between the two men.
Holder faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the
possibility of parole if convicted at trial. A woman who drove
Holder away from the scene has not been arrested or charged in
the case.
[to top of second column] |
The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that Holder was an
aspiring rapper and suspected gang member who went by the nickname
"Fly Mac". He has a previous conviction for carrying a loaded
firearm, the paper said.
A disturbance erupted at a vigil for Hussle on Monday, setting off a
stampede that critically injured two people.
Hussle's debut studio album, "Victory Lap," was nominated for Best
Rap Album at this year's Grammy Awards and his death prompted
tributes on social media.
The rapper, who was of Eritrean descent and grew up in south Los
Angeles, has said that he once belonged to a street gang but more
recently he had parlayed his fame into a role as a community
organizer and activist.
Hussle wrote "having strong enemies is a blessing" in a Twitter post
on the day of his death.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Dan Grebler and Richard
Chang)
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
