Eugene “Big U” Henley’s federal racketeering trial will no longer begin next month.
A judge has pushed the start date to February 16, 2027, despite objections from Henley, who had wanted the case to move forward this spring.
District Judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha decided that attorneys for Henley and his co-defendants argued they needed significantly more time to prepare. In a written ruling issued April 20, the judge said the defense had made a “sufficient showing of diligence” and that the delay was “reasonable.”
Henley, a former manager of Nipsey Hussle, is facing 43 criminal counts, including allegations of murder, fraud, and racketeering.
According to defense attorneys, the case involves more than 1.1 million pieces of evidence, and the material reportedly includes thousands of surveillance videos and tens of thousands of recorded phone calls.
Henley’s legal team argued that going to trial without additional time could leave him without effective representation, and federal prosecutors opposed the delay and said the defense had already been given enough time to review the evidence.
Prosecutors also raised concerns about witness safety as one cooperating witness had his home vandalized after his identity was posted online, so the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that every additional month of delay could create more risk.
If convicted, Henley could face a sentence of life in prison.