Former co-defendant denies role in slaying

Kim Smith

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001 | 9:38 a.m.

A Las Vegas man who had faced a murder charge denied Wednesday that he had urged a friend to begin shooting or that the shooting was race-related.

Sheldon Hollimon, until Monday a co-defendant of Damon Campbell, 26, testified in Campbell's first-degree murder trial Wednesday as part of a plea bargain that earned him a one- to five-year prison sentence.

Campbell, a Las Vegas resident, could receive the death penalty if convicted of killing Louis Alberto Martinez, 32, and paralyzing Carlos Villanueva, 28, in July in a shooting outside Campbell's apartment. Holliman pleaded guilty Monday to accessory to murder.

Holliman and Campbell arrived at Campbell's apartment early on the morning of July 22 to watch videos, Holliman testified. When they got out of the car, Campbell saw two Hispanic men outside his building, one relieving himself.

Hollimon said Campbell asked them to stop, and a fight ensued. One of the men whistled, and a group of about eight other Hispanic men came toward the group, he said.

Scared because he has vision problems and couldn't see well enough to fight, Hollimon said he began running toward Campbell's apartment. On the way, Hollimon said he heard several shots.

Moments later, Hollimon said, Campbell came in and told him and two women, who also were in the apartment, to lie down. He said the men outside had guns and that he shot two of them.

During the next two hours Hollimon said he heard people yelling in Spanish and the sounds of Campbell's car being bashed. Police arrived later, he said.

At the end of Wednesday's testimony, Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger accused Hollimon of lying.

Hollimon adamantly denied Roger's contention that the incident began when Campbell told the men he didn't "want to see any Mexicans around" the neighborhood anymore. Hollimon also denied urging Campbell to shoot them.