An Englewood man charged with murder in an alleged road-rage shooting near Coor’s Field in 2023 was found not guilty by a Denver jury on Friday on all but one lesser charge and sentenced to probation.
Nicholas Moodley, 32, was arrested on Nov. 17, 2023, after police say he fatally shot 45-year-old Shane Warn during a confrontation near Park Avenue West and Blake Street.
A Denver jury found Moodley guilty of one count of menacing, according to his attorney, Doug Richards. He was acquitted of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Video of the encounter showed Warn tailgated Moodley for several blocks before both vehicles stopped and Moodley got out of his Tesla, holding a gun at his side, and walked to the driver’s side of Warn’s Mazda.
They exchanged words before Moodley walked back to his car and got in, which is when Warn got out of his vehicle and kicked Moodley’s door open, according to previous reporting.
Moodley then shot Warn twice and called 911, according to an arrest affidavit. Warn was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In a statement, Denver District Attorney John Walsh said while his office is disappointed by the verdict, they respect the jury’s service and its decision.
“Our system of justice depends on the hard, thoughtful work of citizens serving as jurors,” he said.
Richards told The Denver Post he was not surprised by Moodley being sentenced to probation because he has no criminal history and is very community-minded.
Richards previously sought to have the case dismissed after a paralegal with the Denver District Attorney’s office unwittingly told a close friend of Moodley’s that prosecutors believed Moodley acted in self-defense and shouldn’t be charged with murder.
On Friday, Richards said the prosecutors handling the case were professional and he hopes that that is consistent with Walsh’s new administration.
“I’ve always had a problem with the charging decision in this case, which I attribute to the previous administration, and I’m confident that the office is in a much better place now,” he said.
Warn’s family could not immediately be reached for comment Friday night.
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