Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Required Viewing | 21st-Century Sanity »

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

News Maybe All That Peaceohol Impaired His Judgment?

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 10:00 AM

A mentor for a nonprofit anti-violence group that works with youths in the District has been charged with second-degree sexual abuse after he allegedly kissed and fondled a student at a Northeast Washington high school.

Barry Harrison, 50, is a convicted killer who worked for Peaceoholics in a program at Spingarn High School, authorities said. In charging papers, police said that he kissed and fondled a 15-year-old girl April 14 in the basement of the school on Benning Road NE.

Comments (10) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

I'm sorry, but what? WHAT? A convicted killer working for a peace orginization in a HIGH SCHOOL?!? I understand second chances, but was that really the wisest placement?

Posted by Allyn on April 22, 2009 at 10:11 AM

I thought the fact that he wanted to"have fun like sex" with the 15 year old was also salient.

Posted by BombasticMo on April 22, 2009 at 10:50 AM

I thought schools screened people?
Dan, you told us schools screened people and kept molesters out!
Dan?
Dan?!

Posted by Dan- you lied to us! on April 22, 2009 at 11:13 AM

The fact that he is a convicter murderer is not relevant to what happened here.
Obviously, he used to be a youth pastor.
Or one time he met a youth pastor.
Or maybe he knows how to spell 'youth pastor'...

Posted by Get to the bottom of this cover-up, Dan on April 22, 2009 at 11:17 AM

Peaceoholic's "defense" in the linked article is hilarious. Only 1-in-16 of their employees were dealing drugs! What a great track record!

Posted by David Wright on April 22, 2009 at 11:26 AM

Hey, he was only a murderer. This whole sex offending thing is brand-new.

Harrison started working for the nonprofit last month after being placed with the organization by Project Empowerment, a District-run program that offers employment and training to ex-offenders.

Train them not to hit on 15 year olds.

Posted by Give Peace a Chance on April 22, 2009 at 11:42 AM

@6, I think they spent too much time training him not to kill again that they just plain forgot the sexual assault thing.

Posted by another Andy on April 22, 2009 at 12:39 PM

Hey, that's how they do things in prison. Got a problem with that, take it up with the warden.

Posted by Vince on April 22, 2009 at 1:17 PM

Did he offer her a baggy of toilet wine first?

Posted by The Amazing Jim on April 22, 2009 at 4:22 PM

@ 3,

He was screened. They obviously knew he had a criminal record. It wasn't a surprise. Of course, most schools use the screening process to exclude folks with criminal records. Clearly this school forgot that little post-screening detail.

Posted by Y.F. on April 22, 2009 at 5:22 PM