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LOS ANGELES — A man who once belonged to the same street gang as of Nipsey Hussle was found guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday — three years after he gunned down the beloved rapper in broad-daylight outside his Marathon clothing store in Los Angeles. 

Eric Holder, who was still sporting a swollen left eye and stitches in the back of his head after being attacked in jail last week, remained silent as each of the jurors individually — and unanimously — voted for the first-degree murder charge. Holder, 29, was found guilty of intentionally using and discharging a handgun to kill 33-year-old Hussle in cold blood on March 31, 2019.

The jury– composed of nine women and three men– also convicted Holder on two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for shooting two men — Kerry Lathan and Shermi Cervinta Villanueva— as they stood with Hussle outside the rapper’s clothing store.

Holder was initially charged with attempted murder for shooting Lathan and Villanueva, but jurors found him guilty of a the lesser charge.

Lathan, who was standing across from Hussle, was shot in the back and was paralyzed from his injuries. Villanueva was grazed by a bullet and was not seriously injured.

Holder also was convicted of possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon and the jury found true allegations that he personally used a firearm and caused great bodily harm and death.

During a press conference after the verdict was read, Deputy District Attorney John McKinney said he hoped family, friends and fans of Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Asghedom, will be able find some closure and peace. 

McKinney said he has not spoken directly to Hussle’s family about the case or the verdict. The prosecutor said he has reached out to the family multiple times, but an attorney hired by the family has been keeping them informed of the case.

“Today was more than just about the right verdict, or the right outcome for this trial,” McKinney said. “Today was really about Nipsey Hussle and the legacy that he leaves behind. This verdict and the story of his life will be talked about for sure, at Crenshaw and Slauson, but the meaning of it will carry far beyond those streets. The legacy of Nipsey Hussle and the arc of his life, which started off in a shadowy place, ended up in a very positive place for him, and for those that he inspired through the way that he lived his life, especially in his latter years.”

He added, “So, as a community, we move forward from this. We move forward in the tradition of the marathon. We move forward in the tradition of young people who are in a situation that Nipsey might have been in 15 years ago and look at his life as an example of how they can get out of that situation, and get to a place where dreams are made. I hope that that is what people take forward from today.”

During the two-week trial, prosecutors and defense attorneys argued over the final interaction between Holder and Hussle, who grew up in the same neighborhood and were in the same gang– the Rollin 60s Crips– when they were younger. 

Although gang allegation charges were not filed against Holder in this case, McKinney said the case did have “gang overtones.” He said  some potential witnesses did not come forward or were “held back because of a culture that exists in the community that it’s wrong to cooperate” with law enforcement.

Holder’s public defender Aaron Jansen, who refused to talk to reporters immediately after the verdict was read, said during the trial that his client shot Hussle in the heat of passion after Hussle accused Holder of being a snitch. 

McKinney, however, argued the shooting was premeditated. The prosecutor said Hussle never accused Holder of being a snitch and was actually trying to help Holder to clear his name. 

A key witness, Bryannita Nicholson, said she saw Holder load a semi-automatic weapon with bullets while he was in her car. Nicholson, who had an intimate relationship with Holder, testified he had instructed her to park her car in an alleyway while he got out. 

Video played during the trial showed Holder walking back to the Marathon store parking lot, where he approached and shot Hustle 11 times.

Before leaving the scene, Holder kicked the beloved rapper in the head, a move that was “personal,” McKinney told jurors.

A fourth man who was with the group during the shooting, Evan McKenzie, ran from the scene. During the trial, a $500,000 warrant was issued against McKenzie, who failed to show up to court to testify under subpoena.

While Nicholson did not witness the shooting, she said she heard gunshots. Moments later, Holder ran back to her car and he told her to shut up and drive out of the area.

Before she peeled away from the alleyway, Nicholson said, she saw Holder put two weapons — a semi-automatic and a handgun — into a bag.

Witness Herman “Cowboy” Douglas testified he knew both Holder and Hussle since they were all former members of the South Los Angeles Rollin 60s Crips street gang.

He said when Holder initially approached Hussle 10 minutes before the shooting, Holder didn’t seem angry or agitated.

According to Douglas, Hussle was actually trying to help Holder by telling him that people in the neighborhood were saying he had “paperwork,” meaning Holder was somehow involved in a case and should clear his name.

While Douglas testified Holder left the conversation shaking hands with Hussle, Holder’s attorney said his client walked away consumed with anger, causing him to come back 10 minutes later and shoot Hussle in the heat of passion.

McKinney told jurors during his closing argument that Holder had plenty of time to turn around and walk away, but instead ambushed the beloved rapper and shot and injured two other men. 

“The evidence showed he went over there, willing to kill everyone in that space,” McKinney said during his closing argument. “Nipsey was clearly the target but (Holder) was willing to kill everyone or chase them away.”

Holder will be back in court for sentencing on September 15.

Douglas, who was a close friend to Hussle, walked out of the courtroom in tears and overcome with emotion after the verdict was read.

Douglas said while the guilty verdict provided some relief, he still wants to know what drove Holder to kill his friend that day.

“Nipsey never called that man a snitch,” Douglas said. “I heard the conversation, but I still need to know why. I know he didn’t kill him behind that conversation. I still need to know why. … it was so senseless. … I’m just sad. I miss my friend. He’s supposed to still be here. We are losing a lot of good people on senseless violence, hate, envy. As a society, we have to learn to get along. We are killing each other and it makes no sense.”

On Thursday, Jansen told The Post he will be filing a notice of an appeal and will present Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke with “substantial evidence” concerning Holder’s mental health at the Sept. 15 sentencing.

“I am deeply disappointment in the first-degree murder verdict,” Jansen said. “It was always going to be tough given the high profile nature of this case. We are grateful that the jury agreed with us, in part, that the case was overcharged and acquitted Mr. Holder, Jr. of the two first degree attempted murder charges.”

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