Harris has publicly apologized for the cocaine dealing of his past numerous times, and maintained his innocence in his state charges. He was raised is a single parent household by a hardworking mother. He currently writes for the website Planet Ill (www.planetill.com), as well as his own blog Scotts Introspection Section (www.scottsmindfield.com). Over his decades in prison, though, Harris gained a different kind of notability; he formed the nonprofit Richmond Project, aimed at diverting youth in West Contra Costa away from crime. About the Authors: Ron Chepesiuk (www.ronchepesiuk.com) is award winning freelance investigative journalist, documentary producer and Executive Producer and co-host of the Crime Beat radio show www.artistfirst.com/crimebeat.htm/. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. I noticed one thing that a lot of people had in common: Music soothes even the people that you think that cannot be soothed.. Harris started selling crack cocaine aged 20, making close connections with both the infamous Bloods and Rolling 60s Crips gangs. Its difficult to think of a label with more of a public downfall than Death Row which is why a quarter century after its peak it remains as fascinating as ever to examine. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 2023 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Fox News Pete Hegseth lobbied for their release, Trump campaign chairman (pictured) who admitted conspiracy against the U.S., and was convicted of tax and bank fraud as part of Mueller probe. Alas, the drug game is not known for allowing an easy exodus. Who is Michael "Harry-O" Harris? Lied to Congress and witness tampered. He was raised is a single parent household by a hardworking mother. Harris and Wasserman . TUNE IN to learn more about how Harry-O helped many talented & well-known people outside & from BEHIND bars (big names such as actor, Denzel Washington, Suge. In 2021, in a surprise pardon by then-President Donald Trump, Harris was granted his freedom after spending 33 years behind bars. *Terms apply. Harris said he hopes to take his 'implanted wisdom' back into the streets so he can share what he's learned to help heal broken communities. , updated The fact that he was arrested as Checkmates premiered on Broadway certainly didnt help matters at all. It was also rumored that Harry-O was financing the lifestyle of a few celebs in the hopes of becoming their manager. I heard even from the homey. 41.6k Followers, 151 Following, 22 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Michael "Harry-O" Harris (@theofficialharryo) theofficialharryo. He told me, ''No, rest assured I want to be involved with saving lives.''' He has also been interviewed by Rap Entertainment Television (www.rapentertainment.com) for a documentary on former heroin kingpin Leslie Ike Atkinson. . Death Row went on to become one of the most storied and infamous labels in music history. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter Jr. ordered Harris attorneys to file a 20-page reply to the federal governments response by May 22, according to court records. BGOL Investor. Los Angeles, CA-Michael "Harry-O" Harris, is set to be released later this month after serving 31-years in prison. It is a prison complex that has gained national notoriety for its failure to contain COVID-19; with more than 1,700 cases and two fatalities, the prison was recently sued by the ACLU over its handling of the pandemic. At age 26, Michael Harry-O Harris was a millionaire. Recently pardoned Alice Johnson, who received help from Kim Kardashian West, was made aware of Harris through another colleague thanks to Snoop. Bush authorized legislation that imposed draconian penalties for drug offenses, which primarily and adversely affected young African American men living in the inner-city, such as Mr. Harris, Zucker said. In the black working class city of Oakland, The Black Panther Party for Self Defense was born. He ran the theatre company which first scouted Denzel Washington's talent. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Now reliable Trump booster who was in D.C. on eve of MAGA riot, Salute: Roger Stone offered his notorious Nixon-style double-V at a Trump rally on Capitol Hill on January 5, the eve of the MAGA riot, SUSAN B. ANTHONY Pardoned posthumously August 18, 2020, Suffragist who died in 1906 and was convicted of illegally voting in 1873. It was unclear when a judge will rule on the motion. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. AHH yes Ron Chepesiuk, wonderful human being, however his investigative methods leave a lot of the people e gets his info from angry. Though now defunct, in its heyday Death Row Records was one of Harris' most successful ventures, selling 18 million albums and earning more than $325 million in its first four years alone, launching to stardom west coast rap legends including Dr. Dre, NWA, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur, and was widely credited with changing the face of 90s hip hop. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Meanwhile, Denzel Washington is likely signing on for a role in another blockbuster and making space on his shelf for another award. He said: 'Over 30 years ago I was part of the problem. Prince expressed good thoughts for Harris. The last-ditch attempt succeeded on Monday when the outgoing president signed Harris pardon. And then, that was in 1989 or 90, J. Id like to congratulate the homey and anybody that come [sic] out of that hog pen.. Godfather Entertainment became known as Death Row Records. E-mail me when people leave their comments , Michael Harris: A Convicted Drug Kingpin Who Gave Denzel His Start on Broadway, How The Hells Angels Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider, Bonannos go to war in New York: Shooting in Long Island tied to Mikey Nose and Joe C. beef, Watermelons, submarines & sex toys: The craziest ways cartels traffic drugs, How China Is Fuelling America's Drug Epidemic. The company runs a TV show by the same name on the San Antonio channel Fox 29, following Nutall on his philanthropic mission. His mother tried hard to make sure that he had a semblance of a normal family life, as well as an alternative to what the increasingly dangerous streets of south central had to offer. Nutall says he was wrongly convicted, and at his sentencing in 2009 the judge dismissed 39 of the 40 counts against him, sentencing Nutall only with the 14 months he had already served in prison. Harry O was the first African American to produce a Broadway play. But instead of being released, Harris was transferred to federal prison to begin serving a 235-month sentence for his drug crimes. He is an American author who has written over 100 books for children and young adults. But Nutall says despite his misfortunes he feels blessed and wants to pass on the goodwill to others. It does not store any personal data. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? ', The comments below have not been moderated, By Learn More. But by the time of Knights visit, Harris was in the early stages of a lengthy sentence for attempted murder and drug trafficking. Many gangsters throughout history have invested money in legitimate businesses. Harry-O wanted in and figured the best way to get in was to buy his way in, so he used his money to bankroll a stage play called "Checkmates." It starred an up-and-coming actor named Denzel Washington (3rd pic). They needed money, yet Knight wasnt interested in going to the expected corporate outlets for the resources. President Donald Trump announced 143 pardons and commutations as he left office, including the commutation of Michael Harris sentence. For Harris, this is a chance to right the wrongs he committed in the past and a chance at redemption. During the last three decades in prison he has participated in a number of self help and rehabilitation programs, some of which he co-founded and co-facilitated. He not only created mentorship programs for fellow inmates, but he also helped build one of the most prolific music labels in the world. Giving back to the communities where my help is so desperately needed.'. Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington performed in the theater at the beginning of his career. South Central was ground zero for the crack explosion, and Michael Harris was in a position to capitalize. On top of that, Harris motion argues that the U.S. He set up his brother-in-law with a prostitute in retaliation for him cooperating in a federal probe, and committed tax fraud. However, over the years I have repeatedly proven myself to be part of the solution. Criminal justice reform advocate Alice Johnson, who had her life sentence commuted by Trump in 2018, told the Daily Beast she had been lobbying Ivanka, Jared and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to get Harris released. He began to invest in real estate and various businesses. The DEA convicted . He was there to see Michael Harris, better known on the streets as Harry O. Harris was a Bounty Hunter Blood who had amassed a fortune in the 1980s most lucrative and dangerous industry: cocaine. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Meanwhile, the company he helped start in Death Row was forced into bankruptcy and is now owned by Hasbro (of My Little Pony fame). Harris was convicted of attempted murder and kidnapping from cases dating back to 1988. Denzel Washington. So many ancillary figures never found happiness or success after their time on Death Row. Michael Harry-O Harris, 60, is a music executive who financed the record label known for signing 2pac, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg. Knight is currently serving 28 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter after driving his truck into two men, killing one, Terry Carter, following a row in Compton, California. We have a mutual homey. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. Michaels father, who he described as a wealthy businessman with three families, left when the he was just five years old. After more than three decades in prison, when he leaves, he will be a senior citizen, but also he will leave as a morally mature man.. Harris came up with the record label's name while temporarily housed on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison. The 57-year-old is currently being held at a Federal Correctional Facility in Lompoc, California but is expected to be released in the coming months before being transferred to a half-way house. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Harris likely knew that going in. She helped to send him to West Los Angeles community college. This milestone might have been more celebrated had it not been for his previous occupation. In 2005, Knight was ordered to pay Lydia Harris $107 million for her 50% stake in Death Row and in unpaid royalties. Harris came up with his record label's name while temporarily housed on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison. Check the video on the next page as J. Copyright 2022 Rolling Out. Michael "Harry-O" Harris, 60, is a music executive who financed the record label known for signing 2pac, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg. Charlamagne questioned where the rumor came from, and Prince explained that Harry-O told a fellow friend that same information as well as authorities back in the day which ended up bringing the feds to sniff around the Houston CEOs compound. One nearly made it. In Donald Trumps final act as commander in chief, the now-former president unleashed a flurry of pardons and commutations. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Account managed by team. Alongside his drug empire, Harris also launched a limousine company, a deli, an electrical contracting business and a Beverly Hills hair salon, all aided by his ex-wife, Lydia, who he met just two years before his incarceration, and who he married and divorced while in prison. Angelos was also pardoned by Trump in December. I am a man who came to prison a boy and who will emerge as a grown man.'. Harris had a musical upbringing - he was classically trained by his next-door neighbor, Mrs Payne, as a pianist and joined his school band playing the Trombone and Drums. Various street gangs in Los Angeles, once inspired by the Panthers, began to step into the void that was left. // , Report an Issue | He was known for playing Dr. Phillip Chandler on the acclaimed hospital drama St. He reportedly gave a $1.5 million investment to the label's co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight. Harris was convicted in 1989 on conspiracy and murder charges, with an additional 19-years and 7 months for cocaine trafficking. On the last day of his presidency, Donald Trump has reportedly pardoned Michael "Harry-O" Harris, the co-founder of Death Row Records. He met Michael Harris through the limousine company that he owned, which is how he ended up scoring the role in Checkmates. 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