A Georgia woman faces life in prison after she was involved in a fatal shootout in her attempt to get revenge on the man accused of molesting her child. This sentencing marks the end of the tragic story of a woman who took the law into her hands to try and get justice for her child.
On March 31, 2020, 42-year-old Danyale Harri discovered a video of her 12-year-old girl performing a sexual act on Antonio Harley, 22. She reported the video to the Dekalb County Police Department the next day.
According to a release from the Office of the Dekalb County district attorney, the authorities “warned [her] not to let anger take over and not to seek revenge.”
Around 3:30 am on April 1, 2020, Defendant Harris gave the information to a police officer from the DeKalb County Police Department. The officer contacted the DKPD Special Victim’s Unit and took the report. He told Defendant Harris detectives would contact her. He told her to not let her anger take over and to not try to seek revenge.
Only hours later, Harris took a large group to an apartment complex at the intersection of Wesley Chapel Road, and Snapfinger Road, to confront Harley. Defendant Harris, along with three other people with whom she was traveling, were all armed with pistols.
At around 1 p.m. The defendant Harris asked her daughter to indicate which apartment belonged to Harley. Harris and the group behind her knocked at the door. Harley didn’t open the front door. He came around the side of the building instead to see who it was. The group, including Harris and others, chased Harley who was able to get back into his apartment via the back door.
Harley was hit in the chest by a bullet fired from the group of people outside as soon as Harley closed the door. Harley’s brother who was in the apartment fired back to defend himself and his five younger siblings, who were only feet away.
Juan Newkirk (19), who was part of the group of people who came to the apartment complex along with Harris, was killed by the gunfire.
After the guilty verdicts were announced, Asha F. J. Jackson of the Superior Court in DeKalb County, who presided at the trial, immediately sentenced Harris to life imprisonment with parole plus five years.
A jury found Harris guilty on March 22, 2024, of felony murder and aggravated assailant, conspiracy to commit an aggravated attack, and possession of firearms during the commission of crime. Two other people involved in the incident were also charged.
Harley faces charges of statutory child molestation and sexual exploitation. The case is still open. Sherry B. Boston, the District Attorney for the county of Los Angeles, weighed in and said that Harris is “now facing the consequences” of her actions.
The tragedy of this story is the fact that any parent could understand why Harris acted as she did. Anyone in Harris’ position would be furious. Her decisions caused the death of a person and her loss of freedom. It would have probably been better to let the authorities do their job in this case instead of taking unnecessary risks.
