Jury Selection To Open For Trial Of Man Charged In New Kensington Cop Slaying
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Jury selection begins Monday for the death penalty trial of a man charged in the shooting death of a western Pennsylvania police officer almost two years ago.
Testimony is slated to begin next week for the trial of 31-year-old Rahmael Sal Holt in the November 2017 slaying of New Kensington officer Brian Shaw.
Prosecutors have said they intend to seek capital punishment if Holt is convicted of first-degree murder. Holt has maintained that he wasn't the one who fired the shots that killed Shaw following a traffic stop in New Kensington.
A judge last week rejected a defense request to remove Holt's previous gun charges from trial evidenc but did agree to bar prosecutors from introducing evidence that Holt had sold drugs prior to the slaying.
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