Father of accused New Ken cop killer headed to court on intimidation charges

The father of a Harrison man accused of killing a New Kensington police officer in 2017 admitted he sent messages to a witness in his son’s case, a Westmoreland County detective testified Thursday.

Gregory P. Baucum Jr., 48, of Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood is charged with felony witness intimidation and retaliation against a witness.

He is the father of Rahmael Sal Holt, who is accused of shooting and killing Officer Brian Shaw on a New Kensington street after a Nov. 17, 2017, traffic stop. Holt is awaiting trial for first-degree homicide and could face the death penalty if convicted.

“(Baucum) admitted to posting a report as well as the ‘heated exchange’ between himself and (the witness),” Detective Raymond Dupilka testified during a preliminary hearing Thursday before New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.

Baucum was present during the hearing but didn’t testify. His court-appointed attorney, Emily Smarto, called Dupilka’s testimony “inadmissible.” She asked Pallone to dismiss the charges.

“Simply making a posting or making a factual allegation does not create an intimidation or retaliation against a witness,” Smarto said. “There’s nothing in the record that indicates that (the witness) was threatened in any way by Mr. Baucum or that she was intimidated in any way.”

The Tribune-Review is not identifying the witness.

Pallone disagreed and sent both charges to Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court.

“There was an admission by the defendant,” Pallone said.

Dupilka testified that Baucum told him he sent the witness a message on Facebook Messenger on Jan. 8 that said, “So u snitched on my son too?” and referred to her as a “cheese-eating snitch.”

Baucum also took a photo of the witness’s February 2018 statement to police, according to police. He sent it to her, posted it on his personal Facebook page and uploaded it to a closed Facebook group. The statement to police included the witness’s name and address.

The witness told Dupilka after the statement was posted, she received multiple negative messages about her cooperation in the investigation, Dupilka testified.

“(The witness) is very fearful for their own safety at the hands of the defendant or any associates of him, or of his son, Mr. Holt,” Dupilka testified.

Baucum has been jailed on $100,000 bond since his March 28 arrest. Pallone denied Smarto’s request to reduce Baucum’s bond.

Baucum previously was acquitted of witness intimidation and other charges related to Holt’s arrest. A Westmoreland County jury deliberated a little more than an hour in June before finding him not guilty.

Prosecutors contended during the trial that Baucum assaulted his girlfriend after learning she had cooperated with police during the manhunt for Holt by telling them of Holt’s whereabouts immediately following the shooting. The victim told jurors Baucum put his hands around her neck and later pinched her nose closed and covered her mouth.

Baucum told jurors both incidents were an effort to entice the victim to have sex. He told reporters after the trial that the charges were a misunderstanding.