Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Carlos Harris has had a tough life. He admits to having done drugs, which alienated him from some of his family. Drugs did indeed take a toll on him. It got so bad that one night he had an experience that convinced him that he needed to do something or he would end up where there’s no coming back. He would end up dead. On a night that he remembers well, January 12, 2020, was when by the grace of God, Harris’s fate could have been death. In an interview with this reporter, Harris was very candid about his near-death experience, saying he had PCP mixed with mojo in his system. Under the influence, Harris had the wherewithal to realize that he had ingested a lethal into himself and knew that he needed medical help immediately. Harris said he ran outside, going from house to house, hoping that someone would answer their door and call the police. A woman heard his call and notified the police. When they arrived, they were informed that Harris was on drugs. Harris emptied his pockets on the hood of the police unit as they mentioned his name because he had been stopped several times before. Because Harris was under the drugs’ influence, he could not keep still when told by officers. Harris said that one of the reactions from the drugs to his body was that it would freeze up, severely restricting any movement. With his arms in the air because, as he said, he couldn’t move them, as police allegedly tried for a long time to place cuffs on Harris. Harris said that from that 4:00 - 6:00 AM on a freezing cold night, Harris’ ordeal continued. He said that he was arrested and booked into (OCC) Ouachita Correctional Center at 6:00 AM. Harris said that he didn’t remember anything at the time because his mind just went blank.

Harris said while at OCC, he got some startling news. He was first placed in the “rubber room” for his protection, and he would find out that upon arrival at OCC, Harris alleges that officers dragged him by his feet into the booking area. Harris went on to say that an officer in the booking area allegedly looked at Harris and wondered what Harris was on. As mentioned before, it was a very cold night and the only top clothing that Harris had on was a t-shirt. Harris would find out that he allegedly refused ambulance service to take him to a medical facility. When Harris asked the alleged ambulance service provider if he refused any emergency services, he was told that there was no record of them receiving a call for service. Harris wanted to know why MPD would say that he refused emergency service while in the condition that he was in and that officers were aware of who he was. Even worse was that Harris said that he suffered a fractured rib between the time he was arrested and transferred to OCC. Harris also said that MPD officers should have immediately transported him to a medical facility as a "Good Samaritan" act because he needed to be in a medical facility, not a jail. His legal woes were just beginning.

Harris was booked on counts of Resisting by Force/Violence, Disturbing the Peace, and Possession of Drug Phafanalia. According to Harris, his first hearing on November 2020, no officer showed up. The judge allegedly was ready to rule no probable cause for charges, but a second DA( the original DA allegedly didn’t want to charge) assigned to the case wanted to continue, and the case went forward. At a second hearing, held March 2022, no officers showed up again, as requested body cam evidence was never shown at the judge’s order. According to Harris, a third DA filed an Amended Bill of Information, bringing the charge to Simple Resistance. Harris had a third hearing Tuesday, May 17, and he was denied justice. A new hearing has been scheduled for June. Though not being cleared of any charges, Harris has turned his life around in the meantime. He is drug-free and says that one night in January and with the support of family members, he was able to make it. He also says that it would not have been possible without God.