A jury on Monday convicted a career criminal for gunning down US-based Guyanese cop Randolph Holder and he now faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
According to a report in the New York Daily News, Tyrone Howard, 32, was found guilty by a Manhattan jury of the 2015 killing of the Guyanese following four days of deliberations.
The report said that as the verdict was read out, Holder’s father, Randolph Holder Sr., his stepmother, Princess Holder, and other relatives wept and consoled each other.
Four of the jurors left the courtroom in tears at the conclusion of the month-long trial.
“This is just a tragic case and a sad day but we can’t thank the NYPD enough for their willingness to put their lives on the line,” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said outside the courthouse after the verdict.
The report indicated that Howard was on the run after a non-fatal shooting on October 20, 2015, when he encountered Holder and his partner Omar Wallace. Fearing he’d be arrested, he pulled out a .40-calibre Glock semi-automatic pistol and fired, striking Holder in the head.
Howard had an open warrant at the time of the killing for failing to show up to court. Police were looking for him after he’d not showed up to a second-chance drug diversion programme.
A judge had enrolled the career criminal in the programme after he was busted along with 18 other people in an October, 2014 crack-cocaine takedown in East Harlem. Howard’s drug case was still pending when he shot Holder.
At the time of the killing, the recidivist drug dealer had over 20 prior arrests.
Holder’s father and grandfather were police officers in Guyana.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill said the NYPD “is pleased to learn that justice has been served.”
