Slain rapper Nipsey Hussle’s 10-year-old daughter, who is the subject of a guardianship case, and her mother were reunited Tuesday in a Los Angeles courtroom, a session that the woman’s attorney described as positive for both.
“It went very good,” lawyer Larry Lewellyn said moments after his client, Tanisha Foster, emerged from the courtroom of Judge Deborah Christian after the half-hour session.
Her daughter Emani left the courtroom ahead of her mother and smiled as she was met by a group of people that included her uncle, Samuel Asghedom, who is backing a bid by his sister, Samantha Smith, to be appointed the child’s guardian.
The judge granted Lewellyn’s request for the meeting. He said mother and daughter had not met for months.
Before the judge ordered the courtroom closed for the get-together, Foster turned to her daughter and said, “I love you,” prompting a broad smile from her daughter in return.
Christian said that for unspecified security reasons, she was transferring the guardianship case to the second floor to the courtroom of Judge David Cowan, who is the presiding probate court judge. A hearing is scheduled before Cowan on Friday afternoon.
Emani arrived to court in the company of Smith. Both were dressed in white attire.
According to media reports, Foster will be seeking joint custody of Emani and financial support from Hussle’s estate.
The 33-year-old rapper and entrepreneur, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, also left behind a 2-year-old son, Kross Asghedom, with longtime girlfriend Lauren London.
The Grammy Award-nominated performer was killed March 31 in a shooting outside his South Los Angeles clothing store.
Eric Ronald Holder Jr., 29, is accused of killing Hussle and injuring two other men. He is charged with one count each of murder and possession of a firearm by a felon, along with two counts of attempted murder.