Tyrese Harris, 18
Something is terribly wrong with Tyrese Harris, and it’s probably our fault. With a dozen arrests and 30 charges by age 18, Harris became a hardened criminal destined for acts of violence followed by long-term incarceration. He easily could have serious mental health issues.
When a suspect poses for an arrest mugshot, one can usually see emotion, embarrassment or occasionally a sense of humanity. Not Harris. He simply stares straight ahead at the camera with a blank look in his eyes as if he didn’t give a damn.
Harris was arrested after he carjacked and injured realtor Kelleye Rhein while she pumped gas at Costco on Feb. 1. Then he was tagged with a previous attempted carjacking in the Central Business District, and sources say the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office holds several warrants that are ready to be served.
He is also accused in the tragic shooting death of 12-year-old Derrick Cash on Jan. 3. It is one thing when a child is shot in crossfire between rival gang members. But to shoot a child in the head at close range speaks of a very dark place where too many unstable teenagers dwell.
Did Harris have to turn out this way? In Harris’ case, his mother reached out to her minister. In turn, the minister contacted Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a trained social worker. She met with the young man twice and offered solutions for a better future. Unfortunately, it was too late to save the teen.
Judge Ranord Darensburg, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court
“New Orleans absolutely failed Tyrese Harris,” said Orleans Parish Chief Juvenile Court Judge Ranord Darensburg. “Most youths who enter New Orleans juvenile detention system have already suffered five traumas.” Although there is no one path to juvenile criminality, a number of risk factors increase a youth’s chances of becoming an offender. They include such family characteristics as poor parenting or a lack of parental supervision, family size, home discord, child maltreatment as well as poverty and growing up in a neighborhood where drugs, guns and crime are an accepted part of everyday life. If a young person’s only role models are individuals engaged in violent crimes, it’s easy for him or her to follow that same path.
“We have to intervene with these young people early. Once involved in criminal activities, the opportunity to change their lives diminishes drastically,” said Darensburg, who is also a licensed social worker and had worked in the juvenile court system for more than a decade before being elected to the bench in 2020. Darensburg said he believes that almost 68% of the youth who enter the system suffer from a diagnosable mental health illness.
Juvenile Court officials’ Jan. 24 presentation to the City Council showed that the majority of New Orleans youth facing incarceration were detained during the hours of 3 to 11 p.m. “Many of these children’s parent or parents have no choice: They work in the evenings and can’t be home,” Darensburg said. “Without being supervised, the youth succumb to the lure of the streets. For these kids, there’s nothing but trouble out there. Their siblings might also be in trouble or even killed. In this situation, we’re going to lose very time.”
Darensburg said he’s also disappointed that youth programs, such as Son of a Saint and the Silverback Society, do not accept young people with a history of juvenile delinquency. “Whatever it takes, we have to put something in place for these kids,” he said.
Darensburg has long advocated for additional financial support for the court to hire social workers to follow each child already in the system. “Kids need to be supervised,” the judge said. As an example, he points to the success of the current Evening Reporting Center. Program staff pick up a child from school for a series of activities, including homework assistance, an evening meal, recreation, counseling and a call with a parent or parents. The children are brought home starting at 8 p.m. “But if a parent is working during the evening hours, the child again is remains unsupervised,” he noted.
Darensburg remembers the importance the Midnight Basketball previously played in the community and suggested similar programs be put in place. The Young Marines programs have also been successful in helping teens find purpose and structure in their lives.
Darensburg would also like to develop interventions that target high-risk youth. The new Healing Circle program that has been implemented by officers in Brooklyn, New York’s 61st precinct might be an appropriate model. Created for high-risk youth likely to commit gun violence, these teens in need of a second chance gather weekly for discussions led by a therapist and are paid a $150 stipend per attendance to participate. None of the program participants have been arrested with a gun or involved in a shooting since the program began four months ago. Though the program is small, with only 15 participants, it shows that community-based non-violence efforts can be a successful part of a crime-fighting strategy. Darensburg would also like to divert low-risk youth away from conventional judicial proceedings.
During 2020, 722 juveniles who were arrested by the New Orleans Police Department received intake services and assessments by Juvenile Court. Available statistics reveal a wide range of criminality. The majority of these juveniles (403) were arrested only once, and 72 were arrested twice. Two teens had been arrested 11 to 20 times.
In 2021, 568 juvenile intake assessments were completed, showing 312 juveniles with one arrest, 61 with two arrests and one teenager at the top of the chart with nine arrests. Although intake assessments are compared to petitioned cases, the District Attorney’s Office has two years to file a petition on misdemeanor charges and four years on felony charges.
Statistics from June 2020 to June 2021 indicate that 42.7% of juvenile offenders were arrested for simple burglary and 13.9% for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Twenty-three youth (1.6%) were charged with second-degree murder. During 2021, Juvenile Court judges conducted 8,101 court proceedings.
In an assessment of repeat juvenile offenders produced by crime statistician Jeff Asher for the New Orleans City Council, the number of juveniles arrested in 2019 fell to the lowest level since data became available in 2012. Still, the average juvenile suspect was arrested more often and faced more changes than in previous years.
Just 10% of juvenile arrestees received almost half of all recorded charges. Juveniles who were detained were detained about as often in 2019 as in previous years with more frequent detentions strongly associated with longer periods of incarceration. In other words, a smaller group of juveniles continue to commit crimes with greater frequency and more jail time.
Until this pattern changes, through either early intervention or expensive incarceration, New Orleanians can expect teens to commit more carjackings, auto burglaries and even murders.
It appears that law-abiding New Orleanians have finally reached their tipping point when it comes to crime. “Citizens are angry, and that anger is not going away. The Costco carjacking got everybody’s attention,” said Rafael Goyeneche, head of the Metropolitan Crime Commission. “The public now recognizes that some of the promises made by elected officials have not panned out. They are seeking more than lip service. They are demanding real investment,”
Council members led by City Council President Helena Moreno have already stepped up. Even Mayor Cantrell is talking about police raises. We can’t blame children for being born into poor families where parents are unprepared, unwilling or unable to provide the foundation these kids need. But we can blame ourselves — as a community — for not trying to address this problem once and for all.
Something is terribly wrong with Tyrese Harris. If New Orleanians don’t want to be victimized by more young adults like him, we must act now.
Danae Columbus, opinion columnist
Danae Columbus, who has had a 30-year career in politics and public relations, offers her opinions on Thursdays. Her career includes stints at City Hall, the Dock Board and the Orleans Parish School Board and former clients such as former District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro, City Councilman Jared Brossett, City Councilwoman at-large Helena Moreno, Foster Campbell, former Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, former Sheriff Charles Foti and former City Councilwomen Stacy Head and Cynthia Hedge-Morrell. She is a member of the Democratic Parish Executive Committee. Columbus can be reached at swampednola@gmail.com.
Why in the world is anyone or system at fault for such egregious criminal behavior or any behavior for that matter? Am astounded that your comments seem to support the perpetrators and not the horror of their victims .
None of us owe this perp or any other. They owe those of us who have lost our sense of security and are now fearful will going about our daily lives .
Yes they are at fault why because these kids need real help, serious help they need things to do out here there’s NOTHING HERE but crime so wtf y’all want them to do NEW ORLEANS IS NOT A CITY OF FUN ITS A CITY OF FOOD !!!!
You and your family failed Tyrese. Y’all taught him criminal values instead of making sure he was in school. His mother is a career criminal. Like mother, like son. Y’all raised a murderer. If you miss him so much you can go join him in prison where he’ll be for the rest of his life.
I promise you he won’t !
because he didn’t killed NOBODY and I didn’t teach him anything because he’s not my child and does not live with me smart a** but I can help to a certain extent and I did that he has a problem that we can’t solve at this times , he needs professional help y’all feel this way because of a 12 year old that was basically the same wayyyyy y’all have to be fair it’s wrong it is but he didn’t do it !!!!
What needs to change is the black subculture — a pathological subset of the broader culture of good, law-abiding black people — who are responsible for the overwhelming majority of crime in New Orleans. No one wants to say that, because it “sounds racist.” It isn’t. Racism has to do with skin color, and skin color doesn’t incline anyone toward crime. Culture, on the other hand, is chosen. There is a discernible black sub-culture of crime in New Orleans. Until that is recognized, the problem will only worsen. New Orleans will continue its descent into an abyss. I said “continue,” because there’s no denying that this descent has already begun. Deal with iy.
This is comical. You are wrong and misreading this situation on so many levels. Families need to be safe now. If they are not safe, they will leave and the tax dollars for all of your proposed programs will dry up.
Sorry, Tyrese failed himself. time for some hard soul searching by all the enablers in our society. Yes the enablers too afre at fault. Time for all of them to grow up.
What incredible nonsense, going on 50 years of it since the Great Society. Every offense can be greeted with a banner about education. But offenses are offenses, not teaching moments re the shortcomings of our educators or for that matter, of the students. We could reasonably skewer the parents, for allowing children to grow up without values, morality, or self-restraint. But the criminal justice system give us perpetrators. It has named crimes. We made the choice long ago not to tolerate crimes which offend society. The crimes that do made it into law, and remain there. We pay to have folks like this removed from our society. Let’s get our money’s worth.
“The children that are not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth. “
You + your naive, complicit, enabling, tolerating of..lets just say the factual statistical truth..this animal is a thug..so is his likely worthless parents, likely as most of them, not knowing their sperm donor. + worse, unfortanutely, NO with a majority black population that tolerates, make excuses, + are the ones that failed them..not the innocent law abiding white citizens who pay the majority of taxes, who are terrorized daily. They aren’t the 17 year old crack heads having these criminals. How are they failing them? It’s a black Mayor who does easy thing like ‘put mask on’. a black police chief who absurdly says, while every fast food place begs for these 15 year old blacks to work for $15/Hour with $1,000 bonus, that they have no jobs, a ludicrous excuses to car jack a 70 year old white lady dragging her to arm comes off..+ a tax evading black DA who was elected by his black brothers cause he said he wouldn’t prosecute these black angels..NO..only people who failed them are the blacks..who truly has been failed are the hard working law abiding terrorized white minority..Lots of white teens abandoned by addict moms..but NOT one car jacking or murder by a white..its the in breed cultural + social violent criminal nature of blacks in general + look at reality, that’s world wide
Typical bleeding heart you are Danae,, you want change,, Quick change,, Demand Stand your ground law and Castle law. Once the LAW stands behind the homeowner, property owners and the Criminal element are aware of it,, that the odds are fair,, and the innocence citizens shoots back and has the Law behind them, as it should be,, watch how Quickly it changes ??
The criminal justice system doesn’t work. Prison does not “rehabilitate” it only hides people away. Defund police, defund prisons, and refund communities.
You’re living in the wrong city. Go be a degenerate in San Francisco if you want criminals to run wild. You are a very small minority here. The rest of this city is fed up with the criminals and those who facilitate them, like yourself.
Obviously, the criminal justice system doesn’t work — it imprisons far too FEW of those who need incarceration. That’s why crime is rampant.
New Orleans failed Kelleye Rhein.
all because this lady is white and y’all have no one to blame, y’all put it on my cousin. y’all are wrong ? and it’s gonna get fixed !
You should have been a better mentor instead of letting him be a predator. You could have taught him values but you failed him. I’m glad he’ll never see the light of day again.
Ahtttttt your wrong !
#HE DIDNT DO IT & the ppl who did will strike again
THEY ALSO FAILED MY TYRESE HARRIS IF MAYOR CANTRELL REALLY WANTED TO HELP SHE WOULDN’T HAVE PUT HIM IN ONE DANGEROUS SITUATION LAFITTE PROJECT TO ANOTHER DANGEROUS PROJECT THE ST.THOMAS PLEASE HELP HIM .HE ALSO WAS ABUSE BY HIS MOTHER HIS ENTIRE LIFE OH HE’S COMING HOME .MAY NOT B NOW BUT HE’S COMING HE HAS THREE DAMN GOOD LAWYERS….THANKS CUZIN FOR TAKING UP FOR HIM
The people who make these projects so dangerous are the way they are because they CHOOSE to be. People who choose to be this dangerous need to be removed from society.
“We can’t blame children for being born into poor families where parents are unprepared, unwilling or unable to provide the foundation these kids need.”
But no one’s blaming him for that…we’re blaming him for murder and then carjacking at the Costco gas station. You can be born poor and not do those things.
I’m REALLY SICK OF ALL YALL PEOPLE TRYING TO BASH HIM he has a problem he went threw hell. I understand him Bm very well but y’all WILL NOT; NOT EVERYBODY DOES SHIT FOR FUN there’s REASONS FOR EVERYTHING ! YALL DON’T KNOW WHAT THESE KIDS GO THROUGH. THATS WHY I DON’T WHIP MY KIDS !!! I don’t believe in that !
NOW WHERE IS TYRESE HARRIS LOCATED STAMPED HIS BIG COUSIN !!!!!!!? ? HE NEEDS HELP!
A long, long prison term will help both him and us.
Yes , New Orleans did fail him because like I said they need stuff for these kids to do to get into these kids don’t know what to do around here , New Orleans is no dam fun ! There no good resources no help for these kids New Orleans is just a place for food not living y’all don’t know what people be going threw and y’all don’t know what happen with these people for them to do what they do all y’all do is JUDGE if y’all wanna be a judge GO BE ONE AND STOP TRYING TO JUDGE when you shouldn’t be because ITS NOT YOUR JOB it’s wrong ! They’re all kids they are somebody kids ! They all are !!! #FREE TYRESE!
There’s stuff for kids. It’s called school Your cousin can rot in hell and you can join him for enabling him.
Child I can’t rais no one else child I have my own all I could do is help but he didn’t kill nobody fool
How would you feel if Tyrese Harris killed your son?
Welllllllll I KNOW HE WOULDNT CAUSE HE DIDNT KILL YOURS DUH !!!! Make it make sense
This op ed’s insinuations are pretty reprehensible. The city gave this kid more than one chance he didn’t deserve. Latoya personally intervened to prevent him from going further down a road of lawlessness. Some people are saying she’s responsible for this. I don’t buy that. I don’t mind a mayor getting involved like that. Unfortunately she couldn’t make a difference when this criminal’s family are literally supporting him in in criminal ways. Check out his mother and his cousin commenting here. His family failed him. Nothing more, nothing less.
You fool if she couldn’t help him I’m his cousin what more can I do , I would’ve got him help if I could , BUT LIKE I SAID HE DID NOT KILL ANYBODY !
Hey Cruz
This is the mentality in the criminal subculture I pointed out above.
Bury Tyrese Harris under the prison
Go to sleep
You say, “We can’t blame children for being born into poor families where parents are unprepared, unwilling or unable to provide the foundation these kids need.”
But no one is blaming him for that. We are blaming him for murder and then carjacking at the Costco gas station. You can be poor and not do those things.
These comments, especially the ones continuing the absolute idiotic idea of “defunding the police” are just pitiful. New Orleans failed Derrick Cash and it’s citizens. Get it right. The kid is a murderer and a career thug. Not having anything “fun to do” is not an excuse for such savage behavior. Shame on you all.
Never said it’s the reason to hurt ppl but like I said these kids need real help real programs and y’all talking bout school there’s kids that went to school graduated and look at them not ina streets to tf y’all crazy that’s not stopping these kids THEY NEED HELP NOBODY IS SAYING KILLING SOMEONE IS RIGHT OR DOING THESE THINGS IS RIGHT YALL WANT TO ARGUE BUF IM NOT THE ONE TO ARGUE WITH and that’s gonna argue but I’m just saying they need stronger resources to help these kids putting them in jail won’t help them …. Do y’all really think that helps let’s be honest ?
It will help him immeasurably if, over the course of the next several decades in prison, he learns a complete mastery of the English language. I’m not being snotty. I have rarely seen someone fail in life if they’ve mastered our language. That can be learned in school, but unfortunately, public school teachers don’t put too much stock in mastering English.
This is the most misguided sh** I have read in a long time.
He made his choices. Now he is going to live with the consequences of those choices. Period.