The “Double Up” rapper was memorably gunned down in front of his South Los Angeles storefront, Marathon Clothing March 31, 2019. He sustained a barrage of gunshot wounds through the ordeal, which authorities described as “a personal matter.”

Holder was charged with killing Nipsey Hussle just a few days after the incident. Specifically, he was indicted on one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful firearm possession.

Now, Holder has come to face judgment through the American justice system.

Opening statements began on Wednesday, and prosecutors painted Holder as a gang member who had a deliberate bone to pick with Nipsey Hussle, who was allegedly involved with the same crew in the past, over snitching rumors.

“There’s a range of consequences for people who snitch,” Deputy District Attorney John McKinney told jurors. “No gang member wants to be considered a snitch.”

“Nipsey was telling Mr. Holder that there was word on the street about you snitching,” McKinney continued. “It’s a very volatile subject if a gang member is considered a snitch.”

He went on to say that the crime was “premeditated and deliberate,” as the rapper was “shot from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head” and kicked in the head after his conversation with Holder about snitching.

Nipsey Hussle told Eric Holder (aka Shitty Cuz) that the word on the street was he was snitching. Nipsey wasn’t accusing, he was saying, hey here’s the rumors, you should address them. Nipsey was trying to look out for him. But Holder shot him.

— Touré (@Toure) June 13, 2022

Holder’s attorney — L.A. County Deputy Public Defender Aaron Jansen — admitted that his client was Hussle’s killer. However, he said the incident was a crime of passion instead of a deliberate act.

“This is a case about the heat of passion,” Jansen proclaimed, as premeditated offences are considered more serious in the eyes of the law. “The provocative act, in this case, was that Nipsey Hussle made an accusation against Mr. Holder that he was a snitch.”

Jansen noted that the first-degree premeditated murder charge should be downgraded to “voluntary manslaughter.” His rationale was that Holder was “so inflamed and enraged” at being called a snitch that he shot Hussle “in the heat of passion.”

Aside from the attorneys’ comments on the nature of the killing, further details were provided by Herman “Cowboy” Douglas, an associate of Nipsey Hussle, who was with him during his last moments.

“He was fighting and trying to breathe till the ambulance came,” Douglas said while on the stand. “He didn’t say anything; he just kept trying to raise up.”

Douglas also refuted the allegation that Nipsey Hussle called Holder a snitch.

#nipseyhussle legal team called his associate Cowboy to the stand to testify in the Eric Holder trial pic.twitter.com/pwat5SFCyJ

— No Jumper (@nojumper) June 16, 2022

If convicted, Holder could face up to life in prison.