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A McKeesport man accused of shooting the son of the former assistant police chief was ordered this morning to stand trial.

Joseph Rhone, 20, of Shaw Avenue, McKeesport, was held for court by Deputy Coroner Tim Uhrich on charges of criminal homicide, and was remanded to the Allegheny County Jail, where he has been for most of the past month.

Rhone is charged in the Jan. 9 shooting death of Thomas Holmes, 44, of Fairview Street, McKeesport.

Allegheny County homicide Detective Robert Ladley, the only witness called today by the prosecution, testified that Rhone and Holmes knew each other and that Holmes had accused Rhone of stealing $40 from him.

Rhone was in jail on an unrelated charge of terroristic threats when police interviewed him Jan. 16.

Ladley testified that Rhone told investigators that he and Holmes argued. Rhone said Holmes had a gun in the waistband of his pants, and it went off as the two scuffled, Ladley said.

Holmes ran wounded to the front porch of a home on Madison Street and pounded on the door for help.

Ladley said Rhone "didn't want to be blamed for it, so he shot Holmes again."

Uhrich said that Holmes, who had a history of working with police as an informant, had eight wounds: three to the head, four to the upper arm and one to his thigh.

Holmes' father, the Rev. Sylvester Holmes, had no comment after the hearing.

A McKeesport man accused of shooting an acquaintance in the street, then chasing him to a porch and shooting him again, was held for trial on homicide charges yesterday, but the defense attorney said he will seek to have his client's confession thrown out.

Ladley testified that Rhone was arrested by McKeesport police on unrelated charges and was in the Allegheny County Jail when county detectives developed information linking him to the murder of Holmes. He said that he informed Rhone of his rights, and that Rhone agreed to talk to the detectives without a lawyer on Jan. 16.

In Rhone's statement made that day, he said that he and Holmes ran into each other on a section of Cornell Avenue called the "alley," and that Holmes began screaming at him, accusing him of stealing $40, according to Ladley. The two argued, then struggled, and Holmes reached for his waistband, where he had a gun, according to Rhone. The gun went off, and Holmes ran toward a home on Madison Street. Rhone said he had gotten the gun in the course of the struggle and chased Holmes because he was afraid Holmes would call the police. Ladley said Rhone told him that he shot Holmes again on the porch.

Holmes was shot three times in the head, four times in the arm and once in the thigh. He died of his wounds at the scene.

During cross-examination, Rhone's attorney, Bruce Carsia, repeatedly asked Ladley about whether he threatened Rhone, or told him he would help himself by confessing. Ladley said he merely informed Rhone of the information county police had and told him that if he didn't talk, the district attorney would only have the police information on which to base his decision about the degree of homicide charged.

Deputy Coroner Timothy G. Uhrich ordered Rhone held for trial.

After the hearing, Carsia said that he planned to file a motion to suppress Rhone's statement.

"The statement seemed to be induced," he said. "Without the statement I don't believe they have any evidence at all linking [Rhone] to the crime." Carsia also said yesterday that his client acted in self-defense.

Police said that Rhone was angry with Holmes because he believed Holmes had provided information that led to the arrest of Rhone's half sister. Holmes' father, the Rev. Sylvester A. Holmes, said that his son was a confidential informant for McKeesport and other police agencies.

Rhone has an arrest record for drugs, conspiracy, burglary and open lewdness, according to Allegheny County homicide Sgt. Jeffrey Korczyk.

Rhone was returned to the county jail.

A McKeesport man will stand trial for the murder of a city police informant.

Joseph Rhone, 20, of Shaw Avenue, is charged with the Jan. 9 shooting death of Thomas Holmes, 44, Fairview Street, McKeesport.

Yesterday, Rhone faced an inquest before Allegheny County Coroner's solicitor Timothy Uhrich.

A pathologist testified Holmes was shot eight times as he tried to get help from a neighbor.

According to the report signed by Dr. Shaun Ladham and detailed by Uhrich, Holmes was shot three times in the head, with two shots exiting the body.

The autopsy said Holmes was shot four times in the left arm and once in the left thigh around 8 p.m. along the 600 block of Madison Street on Jan. 9.

"He said the gun came from Thomas Holmes' waistband," County Homicide Detective Robert Ladley testified under direct examination by assistant district attorney Mark Tranquilli.

Ladley quoted Rhone as saying Holmes was screaming at him about $40 he allegedly stole and reached for his waistband.

At that point, Rhone told the county detective, he grabbed for Holmes' hand.

During the struggle that ensued, Rhone said a shot went off, wounding Holmes.

"He had the gun and followed Holmes to the porch," Ladley testified. "He said he didn't want to be blamed for it, so he shot Holmes again."

Ladley said witnesses told him "there was a series of shots, and then a lull, and then more shots."

Defense attorney Bruce Carsia reiterated Rhone's claim of self-defense and questioned how police secured a confession.

"Did you grab him by the shirt and tell him he had to cooperate?" Carsia asked.

"No," replied Ladley.

Carsia asked if Ladley told Rhone he faced 40 years to life in prison.

"I don't recall telling him that," the detective replied.

Carsia asked if Ladley suggested it would be in Rhone's best interest to cooperate.

"We told him it would help the district attorney determine the degree of the case," Ladley said.

Tranquilli frequently objected to Carsia's questions.

In one case, he complained a question had been asked and answered for a fourth time.

Carsia said he'll try to have the confession suppressed, saying he expected an opportunity to do so in the next four months. He predicted his client will go to trial within six months.

"Without the statement, I don't believe they have any evidence at all," Carsia said. "I don't believe they have found the gun."

However, Ladley testified, "He had the gun on (Jan. 9) at 4 p.m."

That was a reference to another incident in which the suspect, his brother Yusef Rhone, and Darrell Collins, all of McKeesport, allegedly terrorized someone with a firearm in Crawford Village.

Rhone was in custody for that when he was charged with Holmes' murder.

Police earlier suggested Holmes was shot in revenge for his giving information that led to the arrest of Rhone's sister on drug-related charges.

"The victim had provided reliable information in the past regarding the sales and possession of illegal drugs in the McKeesport area," a police affidavit stated. That did not come up in testimony yesterday.

Carsia also refused to stipulate to the coroner's report because Coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht hadn't signed it.

He had Ladham take the stand to verify autopsy results and answer questions about powder burns.

The victim's father and sister were in the courtroom yesterday. His father, the Rev. Sylvester Holmes, is a former assistant chief and inspector for McKeesport police.