Getting a conviction of the man who fatally shot Nipsey Hussle will be more challenging than one might hope.
Sure, there is a video of Eric Holder shooting the famous rap star on March 31st, 2019, but that is not enough for the prosecution to get a slam dunk in the case.
One reason — which ironically is the same reason he was shot — is the concept of snitching.
Many witnesses are not cooperating on the stand when giving their testimony, and some have not shown up.
According to Local 10, the presiding judge, H. Clay Jacke II, had to issue a bench warrant with a $500,000 bail on Thursday, June 23rd, for an eyewitness who was a no-show at the ongoing trial for Holder, the person charged with Nipsey Hussle’s murder.
The person is Evan “Rimpau” MacKenzie, a man who served as a pallbearer at the “Victory Lap” artist’s funeral. He apparently doesn’t want to testify for the prosecution, who is fighting to get legal justice for his friend.
MacKenzie, who was also standing next to Nipsey Hussle when he was shot, has continuously ignored subpoenas to come to court for this case, and authorities believe he doesn’t want to be viewed as a rat by his colleagues in the street.
Eric Holder’s attorney Aaron Jansen asked if MacKenzie had a “reluctancy to testify.” Los Angeles police Detective Cedric Washington, who did testify, said he believed that to be true.
Another person who is reluctant to testify is Kerry Lathan, who was wounded in the shooting. Lathan, who took the stand last week, refused to even identify himself and Holder (as the shooter) on the surveillance footage played in court for jurors.
Lathan said, “I don’t know nothing, don’t see nothing.” Deputy District Attorney John McKinney asked, “You don’t want to testify about what happened?”
“That’s right,” Lathan answered.
Jansen asked the detective, “Typically, in gang cases, is there a reluctance to testify?”
“I wouldn’t limit it to gang cases,” Washington continued.
Jansen said, “I’m asking about gang cases.”
“I do believe it is common, yes,” Washington said.
Jansen continued, “Several witnesses, in this case, have said they did not want to come to court, and they felt that their families would be in danger, right?”
The detective did not blame everyone’s hesitation in testifying on gang activity.
“I’ve investigated many cases that are outside of the scope of gang cases. I’ve found that a majority of people are reluctant to come to court or talk to law enforcement,” said Washington. “Everybody seems to think that from coming to court, they are going to be subject to retaliation.”
The case is developing, but everyone is anxious to see who from the hood will testify.