District attorney staffer who admitting shooting male sex worker dead in self defense gets swanky new job working in city council
DeVonté Douglass, a former Philadelphia district attorney’s office staffer who was fired after pleading guilty to a prostitution-related misdemeanour, has taken a job with City Council member Jeffery Young Jr. His appointment has drawn attention because Douglass fatally shot a sex worker in 2020, though he was not charged over the shooting.
Douglass had been a peer crisis responder supporting victims of gun violence. Prosecutors said he met Vernon Harris, 31, after paying him $250 via Cash App; Douglass said Harris tried to rob him and that he acted in self-defence. He was later charged with soliciting prostitution, possessing an instrument of crime and misleading investigators, but pleaded guilty to the prostitution-related misdemeanour in exchange for the other charges being dropped and received probation. In his new council role, he will manage Young’s calendar and handle requests to schedule meetings and events.
In short
- Former DA staffer DeVonté Douglass joins a Philadelphia council member’s team.
- He was fired after pleading guilty to a prostitution-related misdemeanour.
- He received probation after prosecutors alleged he misled investigators about a fatal shooting.
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The case for
Young could argue that Douglass has served his sentence, was not charged over the shooting, and should be judged on the duties of the council job rather than treated as guilty of a crime for which he was not prosecuted. His crisis-response experience may also be relevant to public service, and a calendar-management role does not itself involve policy or public safety decisions.
The case against
Critics could argue that appointing someone who fatally shot a person, even without a criminal charge over the shooting, risks undermining public confidence in the council and appears especially difficult to reconcile with Douglass’s former work supporting victims of gun violence. They may also question whether the appointment reflects sound judgement, given his guilty plea and the circumstances surrounding the encounter, and call for greater transparency about the hiring decision.
Explained simply
Philadelphia City Council is the city’s elected law-making body. Its members represent local districts and have staff to help residents contact them, arrange meetings and organise events.
DeVonté Douglass previously worked in the district attorney’s office, which prosecutes criminal cases, as a peer crisis responder supporting people affected by gun violence. In 2020, he fatally shot Vernon Harris, a sex worker; Douglass said Harris tried to rob him and that he acted in self-defence. Douglass was not charged over the shooting, but later pleaded guilty to a prostitution-related misdemeanour.
The case drew attention because Douglass’s former public service work involved supporting people affected by violence. His new role is with Council member Jeffery Young Jr., where he will manage Young’s calendar and meeting requests.