The Misery Machine - The Case of Jaheem Harris

Starting point is 00:00:00 Jehem Samir Harris was born on November 23, 2012 to parents Danielle Nicole Harris and Corian Jamal Persley. At the time of our story, he had two brothers and three sisters. The father of his younger sisters was Walter Cordell Williams. Jehim was loved by his large extended family, and especially adored by his paternal grandmother, Shea. She cared for him when he was young and said he called her mama. According to Shea, he was a bright and beautiful baby boy. He had brown eyes, a big smile, and an enthusiastic personality. Jahim had several nicknames.

Starting point is 00:00:40 He was sometimes affectionately called Jakey, Jaja, and Little Man. He was full of energy and loved to dance, listen to music, and sing. He loved Paw Patrol. He liked to pretend to drive and to lift weights. He enjoyed going to preschool and was well liked by his teachers there. According to his grandmother, he was a happy kid. He was so good at making beats that she thought he would grow up to be a DJ. Despite having a child together, Danielle and Corian never had an official relationship.

Starting point is 00:01:12 He didn't know Jaheem was his son until he was about three months old. Once he found out, he and his family wanted to be involved in Jaheim's life. Corian's mother, Shea, said she didn't need a DNA test to know Jaheem was Corian's son. She said he looked just like his father and her other children. The test was done though and DNA verified what she had already knew. Shea and Danielle had a complicated relationship from the start. Shea was dating a man at the time and the son of that man was the father of Daniel's second baby. Corian was also young when he became a father.

Starting point is 00:01:48 He was 18 years old. Danielle was 20 and already a mother twice over. Despite the awkward situation, Shea watched Jaheim while Danielle worked and even kept the baby for extended lengths of time. But Shea said she had to be careful not to make Danielle angry. On one occasion, She agreed to watch Jaheim for a month, but found out that she needed to have a medical procedure that required hospitalization. She called to say she had to send Jaheim back early. Danielle refused to come pick him up. Eventually, she had one of her relatives come get the baby.

Starting point is 00:02:26 After that disagreement, Danielle was so angry she didn't let Shea see him for two months. Once she was allowed to see the baby again, Shea said she was more careful about upsetting Danielle. Now, according to Shea, Danielle was not a good mother. She witnessed Danielle slapping Jeheme across the face and even tripping him just so she could laugh when he fell down. Shea reported the behavior she observed to Black Hawk County CPS, but was told the only help they could give would be to put him into foster care. Even though she didn't have official custody of Jehim, She thought he was better off with family than in the system. By the time Jehim was a year old, he was living with his grandmother full time. According to Shea, Danielle provided no financial support for the little boy.

Starting point is 00:03:17 She and her family made sure he had food to eat, diapers, and clothes to wear. During his time with her, he was happy and a healthy little boy. Around then, Corian got into legal trouble. Police arrived when he and a friend were robbing a house. The robbery escalated into a standoff with police because they wouldn't surrender. Corian was sent to prison for over a year for his part in the crime and was released in 2015. While Corian was in jail, She continued to take care of Jaheim. When Jaheim was two years old, She had a birthday party for him that Danielle attended.

Starting point is 00:03:55 She was pregnant with her fourth baby, another little boy. A few months later, Shea took Jaheim to the hospital to meet his newborn little brother. When Jaheim turned three, Shea enrolled him in a head-start preschool program. Jeheme enjoyed being at school and would get up early every morning ready to go. Not long after Jehem's brother was born, Danielle began a relationship with Walter Cordell Williams. Danielle and Walter had two daughters together, who were Jeheme's little sisters that we mentioned previously. Walter had a temper and he had an arrest record to prove it. At various times, he had been arrested for harassing a public officer,

Starting point is 00:04:34 eluding police, disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer, and substance use. By 2016, Walter was living with D. Danielle in a townhouse on Mullen Avenue in Waterloo, Iowa. The couple lived with four of the six children Danielle had at the time. Two of the children were Walters, the other two were not. In 2016, Corian moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Jehim moved with him. Shea helped her son enroll Jeheme in Head Start programs there. Even though Jehim didn't live with her, Corian was still paying child support to Danielle. Corian didn't think it was fair that he had to pay her money when he was taking care of his little boy. In October of 2016, Corian and

Starting point is 00:05:20 Danielle went to a court hearing about child support payments. At this point, she hadn't been taking care of Jaheim for years. Corian was hoping the judge would say he didn't have to continue paying Danielle. He even hoped that maybe Danielle would have to start paying child support or transfer the food stamps and other benefits she was receiving from the state. That did not happen. Instead, because she was receiving official benefits, the judge said Danielle could take Jeheme home with her, and so she did. When she brought Jehim home, Walter was furious. They argued and Walter punched Danielle in the face and beat her up.

Starting point is 00:05:58 He was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 30 days in jail. He was supposed to take DV classes, but he did not. In June of 2017, he missed a hearing about his classes and a warrant was issued for his arrest since he wasn't complying with his court order. As part of his punishment for assaulting Danielle, a restraining order had been issued. Walter wasn't supposed to contact her. He was supposed to stay away from her

Starting point is 00:06:23 and from the home on Mullen Avenue until the order expired in 2022, but that did not happen. Instead, Danielle and Walter reconciled. They both claimed that they didn't resume the romantic relationship and also claimed that Walter wasn't living in Danielle's home. However, some sources close to them have disputed those claims. What is clear is that Danielle let him back into her life, her children's lives, and her home.

Starting point is 00:06:52 Despite knowing firsthand how angry and how dangerous Walter could get, Danielle let Walter watch the kids while she was at work. Knowing how angry Walter was that he had to take care of yet another child that wasn't his, she let Walter watch Jaheim unsupervised. On July 8th, 2017, Danielle said Jehim was fine. She said he was happy, maybe a little hyper, but he typically had high energy. Danielle had a full house. Jeheme was there along with his 10-year-old sister, two-year-old brother, and his two young sisters who were both infants.

Starting point is 00:07:31 His young aunt, only 12 years old, was also staying there. At around 1 p.m., Daniel went to her job as a housekeeper at the local hospital. She left Walter in charge of the six children. It did not go well. The two oldest children, Jehim's 12-year-old aunt and his 10-year-old sister, reported a tense and frightening day. While Walter was in the upstairs bedroom with Jehim and his two-year-old brother, they heard what they described as constant stomping and boom noises above them.

Starting point is 00:08:03 They heard Jeheme cry. His sister said she heard him scream. The girls did not go upstairs because they were too scared. After the noises, the girls found a towel that had throw up in blood on it. Later, Walter took Jehim and his brother to the store with him. When they returned, the 12-year-old aunt said the usually energetic Jeheme looked sad. Even more disturbing, she said it didn't seem like that he could walk. Walter was holding him up by the arm helping him to get around.

Starting point is 00:08:34 Walter took Jeheme back to the upstairs bedroom. The girl saw Walter come downstairs to get something out of the house. kitchen, but they didn't know what it was. Investigators later found a package of frozen ribs hidden in the upstairs laundry hamper, a strange detail and one that wouldn't make any sense until much later. At around 6 p.m., one of Walter's sisters stopped by to braid his hair. She claimed to have heard Walter take a phone call from Danielle. After the call, he went upstairs to check on Jaheim. He came back down with the bed sheets and threw them in the wash saying Jeheme had thrown up. She said she didn't notice anything unusual and thought it must have

Starting point is 00:09:17 been a normal kid's sickness. Around 7 p.m., another one of Walter's sisters stopped by. She said the two older girls were watching TV. Jeheme and his younger brother were upstairs sleeping. The younger boy came downstairs rubbing his eyes like he had just woken up. She also didn't notice anything unusual. Sometime even later, after 9 p.m., the young aunt saw Jeheme lying on on his mother's bed. He didn't have a shirt on, so she could see his chest was bruised all the way up to his neck. She thought he wasn't doing well. She said it seemed like he couldn't even open his eyes. At around 1124 that evening, Walter apparently began to worry that something was seriously wrong with Jaheim. But he didn't call 911 right away. According to phone records, he instead tried to get

Starting point is 00:10:07 in touch with his sister's fiancé, Joelle. He called her phone eight times and her fiance's phone an additional three times. When his sister finally answered, he asked to speak to Joelle and asked him to come to the home on Mullen Avenue. Eleven minutes later, Walter finally called 911. He said he found Jehim unresponsive in the bathtub. When asked to identify himself, he lied and gave Joelle's name instead of his own. Following dispatch, Catcher's instructions, Walter attempted CPR. When paramedics and police arrived a few minutes later, they found him making only a half-hearted attempt. Jehim was still on Danielle's bed. Walter should have moved him to the floor in order to perform CPR, but he hadn't done so. Jeheme was not breathing,

Starting point is 00:10:59 and he didn't have a pulse. Paramedics attempted to find a heart rhythm, but his heart simply wasn't beating. He showed no signs of drowning, but his chest was badly bruised all the way up to his collarbone. First responders noted that the bed was dry, and Jehim was dressed in dry underwear and pants. His body was dry. When they checked the bathroom, the tub was also dry. It was immediately clear that Walter Story didn't match the evidence. The ambulance took Jeheme to the hospital. They intubated him and tried to.

Starting point is 00:11:35 force air into his lungs, but he was already gone. He was pronounced dead before midnight. Danielle called Shea from the hospital and told her that Jehine was dead. Shea and several family members rushed to the hospital desperate to see the little boy and prey over his body. The two families exchanged harsh words with one another. Daniel refused to let anyone from Jehim's father's family to see his body. The last time Shea had been allowed to see Jeheme had been a 15-minute visit on Christmas of 2016. After the trouble at the hospital, the two families continued arguing over social media. Danielle's family's chief complaint seemed to be that Shea didn't think Danielle was a very

Starting point is 00:12:19 good mother and had made false reports about her to CPS. Shea was angry and hurt because Danielle hadn't let them visit Jehim. Danielle did not list Shea or any of Corian's family in Jehim's obituary. Danielle made a post that said, Corian could come, but Shea and the rest of the family were not allowed to attend Jehim's funeral. Heartbroken, Shea reached out to the mayor of the town for help. After the mayor got involved, she and the rest of Corian's family were allowed to attend. It should be noted that Corian was in prison at the time after pleading guilty to having a gun at a fraternity party.

Starting point is 00:12:57 However, he was approved for an emergency furlough to attend the funeral. Shea said Corian was shocked when he saw Jeheme in the castle. bruises visible on all of his exposed skin. She said Corian fainted from the shock. Despite the drama on Facebook, the funeral on July 17th was peaceful and Jehim was laid to rest at the Garden of Memory Cemetery in Waterloo. Since Walter had an outstanding warrant for missing his court hearing, police immediately took him into custody. His presence at the house when police arrived was proof he violated the non-contact order. He was subsequently said. sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Starting point is 00:13:38 During his police interview, he admitted he hit Jaheim all of the time. He told officers that Jahim had thrown up all over himself in his bedclothes. He said he put Jaheim in the bathtub and left him there for about 20 minutes while he warmed a bottle for the baby. He said Jehim was fine when he left him, but unresponsive when he came back. Detectives pointed out that Walter's story didn't match the evidence. Walter refused to change his story. On September 14th, Walter was arrested and charged with first-degree homicide in child endangerment resulting in death.

Starting point is 00:14:14 His bond was set at $1 million. The non-contact order between Walter and Danielle was still in effect. However, Walter was still trying to contact Danielle. Using another woman as a go-between, he sent two letters and placed a telephone call to her. and even after he had been charged in the death of her son, Danielle still accepted that phone call from him and talked to him while he was in jail. That call was recorded by the jail, and on September 29th, they both pled guilty to violating the non-contact order. Walter, who was already in jail awaiting his trial, was sentenced to 180 days in jail for the offense. During the investigation into Jaheim's death, police discovered that Walter had also beaten Jaheem's two-year-old.

Starting point is 00:15:01 old brother. He had caused bruises on the younger boy's chest that were very similar to those seen on Jehem. Police documented his bruises with photographs. Prosecutors thought it established a pattern that Walter treated his male stepchildren violently while sparing his daughters and his stepdaughter. This theory was never mentioned at trial, likely because the judge wouldn't allow it. On October 25th, 2018, Walter's trial began. It lasted eight days. Judge Kellyanne Lecker presided. During the trial, Danielle was pregnant again, this time with her seventh child. She was called to testify.

Starting point is 00:15:40 She claimed she had no idea that Walter had ever hit Jaheim. She said she never noticed bruises. She also claimed that she had to have Walter watch her children because no one else would help her. This made Corian's family livid, as they would have been happy to help. They said Danielle wouldn't let them. see Jaheim despite many attempts to contact her. Nobody from Corian's family was called to testify at the trial. After Daniel's testimony, she left the courtroom. She didn't watch the rest of the trial.

Starting point is 00:16:12 She didn't watch to see if Jaheem got justice. She was never charged in Jaheem's death, but her other children were removed from her home and placed in foster care. During the trial, prosecutors showed photos of the little boy's bruised body. He was injured from head to toe. He showed evidence of being beaten on more than one occasion. Some of his bruises were fresh and deep purple. Others were yellowed and showing signs of healing. The bruises visible at his funeral, the ones on his forehead, head and hands, were only a small fraction of the injuries that he suffered. Medical examiner Dr. Jonathan Thompson, who performed Jehim's autopsy, explained the extensive bruising at the trial. Both of Jehem's arms,

Starting point is 00:16:59 both of his thighs and both of his calves were bruised, as were both sides of his bottom. Both of his shoulders and hands were bruised. His right elbow and knee were bruised. His belly and chest all the way up to his collarbone was bruised. It pretty much seems like there's not a part of him that's not bruised. He also had what Dr. Thompson called a pattern bruise on his inner thigh. A pattern bruise is often caused by being struck by an eye. object. The size and shape of this bruise matched the package of frozen ribs found hidden in the

Starting point is 00:17:35 laundry hamper. Many of the bruises appeared in areas that aren't typically injured accidentally. According to Dr. Thompson, Jehim's clustered bruises, multiple bruises in the same area, lots of bruises and pattern bruises, made him conclude that this was some type of abuse case. The beatings that caused so many wounds visible on his 40-pound body also caused serious internal injuries. The doctor found blood pooled inside of Jaheim's chest cavity and inside of his belly. The little boy's liver was torn in three places and bleeding. His pancreas, right lung, and adrenal gland were so bad off that they were hemorrhaging with blood. The beating that caused these very serious injuries occurred within the last 48 hours.

Starting point is 00:18:23 of Jaheim's life. Ultimately, Dr. Thompson determined that his death was homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the chest and the abdomen. The injuries had been caused by someone beating him. There was no way he could have fallen or hurt himself accidentally. And the beating had been so severe. So much force had been used that he had internal bleeding from multiple organs. During closing statements, the prosecutor summed up the case by saying,

Starting point is 00:18:53 It's not just that there's frozen meat in the bedroom. It's not that he makes 11 phone calls before he calls 911. It's not that he gives the name Joel. It's why he did these things. According to the prosecutor, Walter did these things in order to hide the fact that he'd brutally beaten Jeheme and let him bleed to death internally, with no help for as many injuries. Despite the damning evidence, Walter was not found guilty of first-degree homicide. Instead, he was found guilty of two lesser charges, voluntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death. Walter's demeanor during the trial had been bold and confrontational.

Starting point is 00:19:36 Instead of keeping his head down and face neutral, he looked openly at Shea and other family members from Corey's side. He often smiled and smart during testimony. Tension was high. For the verdict, 10 deputies were stationed in the courtroom. in order to keep the peace. In the hall outside the courtroom, shouting and arguments broke out between the two families. Officers of the court had to step in. One of Danielle's cousins was handcuffed but not arrested.

Starting point is 00:20:08 Instead, police officers escorted her to her car. Shea and her family faced more disappointment at the sentencing hearing. Because of Iowa law, the two charges were merged into a single charge. Walter was only sentenced under the child endangerment conviction. And that charge was not eligible for a life sentence, though the judge said if she could have sentenced him to life, she would have. Instead, the judge sentenced him to the maximum time allowed under Iowa law, 50 years. During her victim impact statement, She expressed her anger and frustration.

Starting point is 00:20:46 She said, God isn't pleased with you, Walter. You've done wicked. You've shown me what you are, an evil, wicked person. The way you smirked at us during the trial, I know you ain't sorry. Walter appealed his conviction. In August of 2020, his appeal failed and his conviction was upheld. However, parts of his appeal were settled in a manner that would allow him to appeal again in the future. He is also eligible for regular parole hearings.

Starting point is 00:21:14 His last hearing took place on November 27, 2023. As of now, he is still in. incarcerated in the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. It will be up for parole review again next year. Jehim's little brother and two little sisters were adopted by their foster family in 2018. It will never have to live with Danielle again. His older siblings are believed to be within their father's families. Danielle regained custody of the baby girl she was pregnant with during the trial.

Starting point is 00:21:44 Jehem's father Corian was released from prison but ended up back in trouble. In 2020, he was listed as wanted on the Cedar Valley Crime Stopper social media page. He had warrants out for his arrest for drug charges, having a weapon, and violating his parole. As of the date of this recording, these warrants are still listed as active on the Blackcock County Sheriff's page. On the anniversary of Jaheem's death, his father's family got together at his grave to celebrate his short life. They gathered next to a small grave marker and released balloons in his mouth. memory. They wanted to get him a larger headstone, but Danielle would not allow it. Several spoke about how much they loved and missed the little boy. Shea said, Jehim spent most of his life with us.

Starting point is 00:22:32 We miss him dearly. The pain is still present in our lives. I don't want people to forget about him, and Shea has not forgotten. She still posts about Jehim regularly. Her social media is full of pictures of her grandson. Each photo is a snapshot of his son. Each photo is a snapshot of his happy life with her. There are playful photos, Jaheem pretending to hide in a clothes dryer while Shea snaps a photo with her cell phone. Jeheme joking around and sitting in a kitchen sink. Others show little glimpses of their everyday life together. Jeheme in his favorite red ball cap, being held by his uncle, helping do dishes, eating a burger from McDonald's, sitting in the car with his father, dressed up as a ninja for Halloween, posing for a preschool picture.

Starting point is 00:23:19 In every picture, his smile is wide and beaming. Though he is gone, Jehim's memory lives on and shines particularly bright in his grandmother's memory. This past Christmas, She posted the following memory from her first Christmas without Jehim, she said. Christmas Day was so hard, being it was the last time your dad and I saw you alive. I thought about you the entire day. I miss you so much. Sometimes I feel like I can't even breathe. I know you are in the loving arms of God now.

Starting point is 00:23:54 I just really want to feel you in my arms one more time. Jaheem Samir, you are still my all, and forever will be my all. I love you so much.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Jaheem Harris

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