DeVonté Douglass, a former Philadelphia district attorney’s office staffer who pleaded guilty to a prostitution-related misdemeanour after fatally shooting a sex worker, has been appointed to a role in the city council.
Douglass, 34, will work for council member Jeffery Young Jr, managing his diary and acting as the main point of contact for meetings, events and other requests.
The appointment was announced in an internal council email from Young’s chief of staff, El Shafiyq Asad Ali. Douglass also referred to the new job in a LinkedIn post last week, although the post was later deleted.
“I look forward to supporting Councilmember Young’s work, serving the residents of Philadelphia, and continuing to advocate for stronger, safer, and more empowered communities,” he wrote.
Douglass added: “This is more than a new position. It is another opportunity to serve the city and communities that have shaped who I am.”
Philadelphia shooting and guilty plea
Before joining the council team, Douglass worked as a peer crisis responder supporting victims of gun violence in the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.
He was dismissed in 2021 after Philadelphia Municipal Court learned that he had lied about his involvement in the shooting of 31-year-old Vernon Harris in October 2020.
Douglass initially told investigators that he had met Harris through Instagram. Prosecutors said the pair exchanged messages before agreeing to meet after Douglass paid Harris 250 dollars through CashApp.
Both men were armed during the meeting. Douglass shot Harris dead, saying that he had acted in self-defence because Harris was trying to rob him. He was not charged over the shooting at the time.
State prosecutors later alleged that Douglass had misled investigators about the reason for the meeting. He was charged with soliciting prostitution, possessing an instrument of crime and misleading investigators.
He pleaded guilty to the prostitution-related misdemeanour in return for the other charges being dropped and was sentenced to probation.
Douglass later worked as a secretary in Philadelphia’s court system and volunteered with non-profit organisations, according to his LinkedIn profile.
