LAPD Opens Investigation Into Police Conduct In Nipsey Hussle Case
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The Los Angeles Police Department has launched an internal affairs investigation into the Nipsey Hussle murder case following news that the woman who drove the getaway car was sent home when she tried to turn herself in.
The LAPD’s Office of the Inspector General told The Association Press Monday that the department’s Internal Affairs Group is investigating a desk officer’s response at the 77th Street Community Police Station. Capt. Gisselle Espinoza, a department spokesperson, said the matter is under administrative investigation, however, she was unable to provide additional details.
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Hussle, real name Ermias Asghedom, was fatally shot on March 31 in South Los Angeles outside his Marathon Clothing store. This latest development in the case surfaced when a grand jury transcript was unsealed last week.
Grand jury testimony showed the woman was turned away when she went to the LAPD station after seeing her car and license plate on the news.
“Oh my God,” the woman testified that she told her mother. “My car is on here and everything, and I didn’t do anything. I didn’t know this boy was gonna do this.”
Grand jury transcripts state her mother called police, but was told detectives wouldn’t be available until 6 a.m. the next day. When they arrived at the police station the next morning, the front desk officer said “don’t worry about it” and “don’t listen to the news,” the transcript showed.
The woman’s name is being withheld for her safety following a series of threats.
LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein told the Los Angeles Times last week there didn’t appear to be any misconduct.
“She was not making herself clear of what she was doing,” Rubenstein said.
The grand jury transcript was unsealed after a request by local media for it to be made public. The transcript, made available on June 27, said Hussle was shot after he had a four-minute conversation with suspect Eric Holder.
According to the transcript, the shooting was sparked by a dispute about “snitching.”
“Apparently, the conversation had something to do with [Hussle] telling Mr. Holder that word on the street was that Mr. Holder was snitching,” Deputy District Attorney John McKinney told the grand jury.
“The conversation wasn’t particularly intense. It wasn’t particularly belligerent,” McKinney added.
He went on to tell the grand jury that Holder responded to Hussle by saying: “So you’ve never snitched?” or “Haven’t you snitched?”
Police earlier said Holder left the strip mall where Hussle’s store is located, but returned a short time later. According to the transcript, the suspect had a gun in each hand, and allegedly opened fire. After Hussle was shot multiple times, Holder allegedly kicked him in the head.
“You got me,” Hussle said before he died.
Holder, 29, was arrested two days later. He was charged with one count of murder, two counts each of attempted murder and assault with a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded not guilty.
Hussle was honored during a public memorial attended by thousands of people at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on April 11, as well as during a star-studded tribute at the BET Awards on June 23.
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