The man accused of fatally shooting New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw wants a new lawyer.
Rahmael Sal Holt, 29, of Natrona told Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Rita Hathaway on Tuesday he planned to hire another defense attorney. Holt is accused of shooting Shaw following a traffic stop Nov. 17 on Leishman Avenue.
“I will hire private counsel,” Holt said, noting that he contacted defense attorney Marc Daffner of Pittsburgh two weeks ago to ask about his representation.
Daffner spent the past two weeks in a Westmoreland County courtroom representing a New Florence man whom jurors last week found not guilty in the shooting death of St. Clair police Officer Lloyd Reed.
Ray A. Shetler Jr. claimed he acted in self-defense in Reed's shooting. The prosecution planned to seek the death penalty against Shetler if he was found guilty.
District Attorney John Peck has said he will seek the death penalty against Holt.
Daffner has not yet filed court documents saying he will represent Holt.
Reached after the hearing, Daffner said he represented Holt about 10 years ago on a probation violation in Allegheny County.
“His girlfriend called twice. I have not been hired, and I haven't talked to him,” Daffner said.
At his preliminary hearing in December, Holt was represented by Justin John-Earl Ketchel of Pittsburgh. That attorney never formally entered his appearance to defend Holt, who appeared in court Tuesday without a lawyer.
Holt was given information about the charges filed against him and signed an arraignment form on which he said he would plead not guilty to the allegations that he killed Shaw.
“You need to get representation. We're not going to let this drag on,” Hathaway said. The judge told him to apply for a public defender while he also works to hire a private lawyer.
Holt is next scheduled to appear in court March 21 for a status conference.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-830-6293 or rcholodofsky@tribweb.com.
