Parolee wounded in Nipsey Hussle shooting is released from jail
A parolee who was shot along with Nipsey Hussle on March 31 outside the rapper’s clothing shop was released from Men’s Central Jail early Saturday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Kerry Lathan, 56, who suffered a gunshot wound to the back, was transported to the jail last week after his arrest on a parole violation, officials said. He was released shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday, according to the Sheriff’s Department Inmate Information Center.
The charges against him were dismissed, according to the center’s website.
A Sheriff’s Department spokesman could not say how Lathan violated his parole, but parolees often are barred from fraternizing with known felons or gang members as a condition of their release. Hussle was known to be affiliated with the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips street gang in South L.A.
There had been calls for Lathan’s release from South L.A. activists.
Lathan said in an interview posted on YouTube that he was arrested for associating with gang members at Hussle’s store.
“I am in a wheelchair now, and they are trying to send me back for life for just being there — gang association,” Lathan told Big U, a gang interventionist in the territory of the Rollin’ 60s. “I got shot in the back.”
Lathan said he was “there with a peacemaker” who was trying to make the community right. “This is a straight injustice,” said Lathan, who was released last year after 25 years in prison for murder.
Eric Holder, 29, was charged with the killing of Hussle.
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Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore has said Holder’s motive was personal, but he declined to elaborate for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.
Law enforcement sources have told The Times that Holder had been in a dispute with Hussle, possibly for some time. After they got into an argument earlier that day at the store, Holder left, then returned and opened fire, the sources said.
Twitter: @lacrimes
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