Glades Minister on Suicide Watch after Swallowing Pills Following Conviction

By Daphne Duret
Palm Beach Post
August 10, 2012

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/crime-law/glades-minister-on-suicide-watch-after-swallowing-/nQHPw/

A 64-year-old Belle Glade community leader and clergyman is on suicide watch following his attempt to swallow a handful of pills Thursday after a jury convicted him of lewd and lascivious battery, promoting the sexual performance of a child and other charges that could land him in prison for up to 80 years.

The Rev. James Richard Harris’ suicide attempt punctuated a three-day trial in his case on charges that he molested a 15-year-old boy, directed him to perform lewd acts on camera and in a separate incident taped two teens having sex at his house.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies who tackled Harris in the Palm Beach County courtroom Thursday afternoon said that he told them that he would be “in heaven” by the day’s end.

Instead, Harris woke up Friday morning an inmate at the Palm Beach County Jail, where he is on a level of suicide watch so high that sheriff’s deputies thought it too risky to bring him to court Friday while defense attorney Christopher Haddad argued his claim that jurors in Harris’ trial this week should not have been allowed to view the videos in the case.

Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes, who had already heard most of the arguments on the legal issue, said he would not conduct the hearing in Harris’ absence and gave Haddad, along with prosecutors Chrichet Mixon and Michael Kugler, until the end of the month to submit any additional arguments in writing. Kastrenakes said he will issue a written ruling on the issue.

The judge also told the attorneys that a sheriff’s sergeant briefed him this morning on Harris’ condition.

“They’re actually physically watching him every moment,” he said.

Harris is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 5. Deputies were still waiting on test results Friday afternoon to determine what kinds of pills he attempted to swallow.