WASHINGTON - Rashod Holmes, a 29-year-old man formerly of Northwest Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday, December 12, 2008, to a total of 29 years of imprisonment for second-degree murder while armed, obstruction of justice, and two firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today. Holmes had previously been found guilty following a week-long jury trial in D.C. Superior Court in August of this year. The Honorable Geoffrey M. Alprin presided over the defendant's trial and meted out his sentence. Holmes will also be subject to 5 years of supervised release after he is released from prison.

The government's evidence at trial showed that in the early morning hours of May 27, 2007, Holmes murdered 39-year-old Nelson James Able outside of the H2O nightclub in Southwest Washington, D.C. After the club closed, Holmes walked up behind Mr. Able and – amidst dozens of other pedestrians who were on the 900 block of Water Street, SW (PSA 104) – fired a 9-millimeter round from inches away into the right side of Mr. Able's head. Holmes evidently shot Mr. Able because earlier in the nightclub Mr. Able had accidently spilled champagne and drinks belonging to Holmes's friends. After the shooting, Holmes fled on foot and was caught and arrested in the 900 block of Maine Avenue, SW, by Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD") Officer Thaddeus Modlin. Officer Modlin, an eight-year veteran of the MPD, testified at trial that Holmes, in contravention of police commands, raised his weapon at the officer, thus causing the officer to have to fire multiple rounds at Holmes prior to subduing him. The jury acquitted Holmes on the charge of assaulting a police officer while armed.

After Holmes's arrest and incarceration, he composed a letter and had it delivered to an eyewitness in the case. The letter outlined a fabricated version of events and instructed the eyewitness that the version was "all she ha[d] 2 say" to authorities. The last sentence of the letter further instructed the eyewitness to destroy the letter: "Burn this shit up when done." This conduct formed the basis of Holmes's conviction for obstruction of justice.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor praised the brave action that Officer Modlin and his partner that evening, MPD Officer Nikeith Goins, took in chasing and apprehending an armed murderer. U.S. Attorney Taylor also commended the efforts of MPD Detectives Kimberly Lawrence, Dean Combee, Thomas Austin-Braxton, and Jacqueline Middleton; and MPD evidence technicians Robert McCollum, Charles Egan, Curtis Lancaster, and David Murray. In addition, the U.S. Attorney praised the staff at the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Paralegal Specialists James Mazzitelli and Philip Aronson, and Legal Assistants Tammy Scott and Nadiyyah Ishman. The U.S. Attorney also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Covell (who now works in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver, Colorado), who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Marshall, who prosecuted the case at trial.