Witness: Rahmael Holt Appeared Anxious, 'Not Himself' On Night Of Officer's Shooting
GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- The trial of Rahmael Holt, the man accused of fatally shooting a New Kensington police officer, has entered its third day at the Westmoreland County Courthouse.
The prosecution continues to call witnesses to the stand.
Wednesday's two main witnesses, Michael Luffey and Holly Clemmons, are a couple. They offered testimony about the night Officer Brian Shaw was killed in 2017.
They testified that on the night of Nov. 17, 2017, they were living in a home with Holt's girlfriend, Taylor Mitchell, and her mother, Lakita Cain.
On the night of Officer Shaw's murder Luffey told the jury that Holt appeared anxious and "not himself," pacing in the house.
We just heard testimony from witness Michael Luffey, a man who lived in New Ken with Rahmael Holt and Holt's girlfriend Taylor Mitchell. He testified that Holt was "not acting himself" on the evening of the shooting and was bleeding from his right hand. @KDKA
— MEGHAN SCHILLER (@MeghanKDKA) November 6, 2019
Luffey also told the court that Holt was bleeding from his right hand, and said he knows that happens when a gun's slide kicks back.
Clemmons said in the days following the shooting, Holt never came back around. She testified that Cain told her she needed to get Holt's gun out of the house.
She said she also watched as a woman named Lisa Harrington, identified as Holt's cousin, entered the home and left shortly after.
Luffey said she was on the front porch and saw Harrington leave the home with a paper bag.
Witness Michael Luffey also testified to seeing a relative of Holt, a woman by the name of Lisa Harrington, remove a paper bag (Shop and Save bag) from the home he shared with Holt. @KDKA
— MEGHAN SCHILLER (@MeghanKDKA) November 6, 2019
He also testified that in the days after the shooting, he was part of a speaker phone call in which Holt allegedly apologized, saying he was "sorry" for the things he put them through. However, the officer's shooting was never specifically referenced.
Witness Michael Luffey said in the days following the shooting, he was part of a speaker phone call conversation where Holt allegedly apologized saying he was "sorry" for the things he put them through, but did not specifically reference the officer's shooting. @KDKA
— MEGHAN SCHILLER (@MeghanKDKA) November 6, 2019
A handwriting expert also testified Wednesday and offered his opinion that Holt wrote the first letter in jail, but said he didn't write the second letter.
The expert said Holt did not write the one-page letter that allegedly asks for Tavon Harper to contact Holt's lawyer saying, "I need you to write a statement to my lawyer saying you dropped me off and then we'll be both good."
The expert then said Holt did write the four-page letter that asks Harper, who police say was driving the vehicle Holt was in the night of the shooting, to change his story and tell police he dropped him off and picked up another person he did not know.
The expert determined that Holt was, in fact, the author of that letter.
Holt's attorney said both of these handwritten letters were turned over by Harper.
WATCH: KDKA's Meghan Schiller reports live on the expert testimony.
A witness also testified that Holt jumped from house to house, spanning 6 neighborhoods in just a few days, after the death of the officer.
First, he was at a home on Victoria Ave in New Kensington right after the shooting of Officer Shaw. Then Holt went to Natrona Heights, then to his mom's in Homewood, then to an apartment building in Penn Hills, then to his relatives in Duquesne and finally to another relatives house in Hazelwood.
All this time, Holt had no phone because he said he dropped it and ran after he heard shots fired in New Kensington.
So far in the trial, the jury has heard from multiple witnesses, including Harper. They have also seen evidence including surveillance video, letters Holt allegedly wrote from jail, and photos.
