HOLLYWOOD HILLS—Prosecutor Christopher Darden, who worked on the case for rapper Nipsey Hussle who was murdered and was a member of the prosecution during O.J. Simpson’s trial, is defending one of the alleged killers of rapper Pop Smoke,the Clara Shortridge Criminal Justice Center confirmed on August 24.

On August 24, XXL reported that the Clara Shortridge Criminal Justice Center confirmed that Darden is serving as a defending attorney for Corey Walker, one of the suspects responsible for Pop Smoke’s murder on February 19. Walker, 19, and Keandre Rodgers, 18, appeared in court on August 24 after being charged with the musician’s murder.

On July 13, two adult men (Corey Walker at 19 and Keandre D. Rodgers at 18) and two teens were charged with killing rap artist Pop Smoke, whose real name is Bashar Barakah Jackson, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. The charge could result in both suspected being sentenced to the death penalty. Jaquan Murphy (22) was also considered as suspicion of attempted murder, but he has not been charged.

The two teens, 17 and 15, were each charged with one count of murder and robbery in juvenile court, the LADA’s announced. The defendants are accused of murdering Pop Smoke on February 17, at the Hollywood Hills home he was renting from “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave and her husband Edwin Arroyave.

Two of the suspects entered the house and shot Pop Smoke multiple times, which was reported to the police at 4 a.m. After the they left there, Pop Smoke was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center but later he was found dead.

The LAPD had reported that the incident was robbery at first. Robbery Homicide Division Captain Jonathan Tippetthey later commented “I am not comfortable calling it a robbery right now.” According to Tippetthey, a security camera does not show the suspects ransacking the home.

They noted that Pop Smoke might have been affiliated with the Crips street gang, and the incident could have been gang-related. It is also possible that the victim posted an image showing the address of the home on social media before the murder.

Darden represented Eric Holder, who was accused of killing Nipsey Hussle in March 2019. A month after joining Holder’s legal team, Darden announced his withdrawal from the case in a Facebook post on May 12, 2019.