Judge Orders Molestation Suspect Held Until Trial

Ex-Convict Was Working at Spingarn High School as a Youth Mentor Affiliated With Peaceoholics

A Northeast Washington man who was arrested last month and accused of molesting a girl in the basement of a District high school was ordered held yesterday in the D.C. jail until trial by a Superior Court judge.

At a hearing, Judge Michael L. Rankin cited the testimony of the lead detective in the case, which indicated that Barry Harrison, 50, used his job as a mentor at Spingarn High School on Benning Road NE to kiss and fondle a 15-year-old girl. Harrison was interning with Peaceoholics and had been placed at Spingarn by the nonprofit group to work with at-risk youth. He was charged with second-degree sexual abuse.

Rankin also cited Harrison's criminal record in the decision to order him held. In 1978, he was arrested and accused of armed robbery in Prince George's County. In 1984, Harrison was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the shooting and beating deaths in the District of two men, Richard Lyons and Anthony Braxton. After his release from prison and while on probation, Harrison was arrested in 2008 and accused of cocaine possession.

"It looks like society isn't getting the proper respect from Mr. Harrison," Rankin said before ordering Harrison held. The trial was set for July 21, with another hearing June 26.

At yesterday's hearing, Harrison's attorney, Leila Thamer of the Public Defender Service, argued that the 15-year-old had conspired with other girls to have Harrison thrown out of the school because he had mediated an altercation between the girls two weeks earlier. And on the day of the reported molestation, Harrison, who was monitoring the halls, had ordered the girl to return to class, according to the attorney.

William G. Talbert, a D.C. police investigator and lead detective on the case, testified that none of the cameras in the school showed any physical contact between Harrison and the girl.

According to Talbert, the girl sent a text message to a classmate informing her that she and Harrison were walking to the basement.

Talbert said the incident happened about 1:30 p.m., that the girl was not in class and that Harrison approached her and said, "Let's walk and have a talk." The two walked from the second floor to the basement level, where other classes were held.

According to police, Harrison grabbed the girl by her buttocks, pulled her against him and kissed her twice.

After the incident, the girl said she sent a text message to the classmate, telling her what had happened. At 3:15 p.m., after school let out for the day, the girl's friend told a police officer at Spingarn.

Harrison's wife and family attended the hearing, along with Peaceoholics founders Ronald Moten and Jauhar Abraham. "There are a lot of contradictory statements being made," Moten said after the hearing. The case is riddled with "the worst detective work" he has ever seen, Abraham said.