State Supreme Court upholds death sentence for Rahmael Holt, man convicted in officer Brian Shaw's murder

HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - The state Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Rahmael Holt, the man convicted in the shooting death of New Kensington officer Brian Shaw, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said the state's highest court upheld the sentence unanimously imposed by a jury in 2019.  

The court directed the record be sent to Gov. Tom Wolf, "who we implore to honor the jury's verdict," Ziccarelli said in a statement. 

Officer Shaw was shot and killed during a traffic stop in 2017. Holt was found guilty on all counts. 

"The Shaw family deserves that justice be served in accordance with the jury's verdict, affirmed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and now in the hands of Governor Wolf," Ziccarelli said. 

The state of Pennsylvania currently doesn't execute under a moratorium from Wolf.