NOTE: Go to Nikto Ne Zabyt for a dedicated page of all my entries on Russian adoption. This collection includes posts on all known Russian adoptees who have been killed by their US “forever famlies” as well as the case of Masha Allen. For those interested strictly on Dmitry Yakolev/Chase Harrison go to Nikto Ne Zabyt’s, “labels” in the right sidebar and click on “Dmitry Yakolev” or “Chase Harrison.” The same articles are archived under both names Also, for international readers, at the top of that page has a link to the Reverso BREAKING NEWS!
The trial of Miles Harrison, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of his adopted Russian son, Dmitry Yakolev/Chase Harrison, 21 months, started today in Faixfax, Virginia. Harrison, in what I believe was a smart move for him, waived his right to a jury trial. His case is being heard from the bench. On July 8, Harrison, left the recently placed Dmitry, strapped in a car seat in his parked SUV at work for approximately 9 hours. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the 91 degree temperature outside means that the inside of the Yukon could have reached 180 degrees.
The defense scheduled 37 witnesses to testify to Harrison’s character. Co-workers told the court he collapsed in the parking lot when Dmitry was discovered with the words, “I killed my son. I killed my son.” Harrison did not take the stand, but wept throughout the day.
Information, which I have not seen earlier, came out during today’s trial. Harrison, as some of us suspected, was not accustomed to taking Dmitry to daycare– a job his wife Carol, an executive with Homeland Security, usually handled.
Then this astounding revelation: on the way to work, with Dmitry in tow, Harrison remembered to drop off clothes at the dry cleaners AND he remembered to grab his backpack with his work materials from the front seat of the car, just inches away from Dmitry! But he didn’t remember Dmitry.
A representative from the Russian embassy is sitting in on the trial. No word on European Adoption Consultants, who disappeared Dmitry/Chase from its webpage months ago.
The judge is expected to come back with a verdict tomorrow morning.
At this posting, coverage from WJLA-TV, WDC, is the only substantial online news on the trial. Russia Today offers a very short piece. You can watch the WJLA news report on the trial at the station site above.
My Russian blog Nikto Ne Zabythas full coverage of this case.
December 16, 2008, 11:54 AM: ADDENDA: Here is some clarification on yesterday’s WJLA’s report on the Miles Harrison trial, reported above. That report suggested that the judge would be rendering a verdict this morning, but maybe not.
Harrison’s attorney moved for dismissal yesterday, which is what the judge is expected to rule on this morning.
The motion to dismiss the charge came at the end of the prosecution’s case. If Judge R. Terence Ney denies the motion, Harrison’s trial will continue. The case is being heard without a jury.
Lets see Miles didn’t usually take “his” son to daycare. “HIS” mother was the one usually dropping him off. So what was she doing that she couldn’t take the time to take the baby to daycare.
Protecting our Homeland Security?
Surely, she wasn’t protecting the baby she adopted,seems they had just adopted him, and then viola, he’s in daycare.
And they say teen mothers are terrible mothers. Don’t take care of their babies, only think of themselves, want to party all the time, obviously this baby was an imposition to the “older” parents.
bet he doesn’t serve a year and he already has some time served.
Benny
All I can think of is the pictures of the baby and the adopter. The adopter is such a brutish-looking man. Why would he have to use his physical superiority on a little boy? It just makes me want to cry.
A couple comments:
Benny: we have no idea what Carol was doing that day. A lot has not been covered in the press. I’m not sure why it should be a woman’s responsibiity to take care of a kid. Speaking for myself only, I think all kids belong in non-governmental daycare whenever possible asap. Otherwise they will grow up to be their parents.
Robin–I’m not sure what you mean about Harrison using physical superiority against the baby? All the other cases of the Russian dead have been abuse cases, and I absolutely agree with you, but I don’t see any evidence in this case, which is neglect.
Marley,
I think all kids belong at home with parents or they turn into monsters when they are in daycare. I have seen the aggression first hand kids that are in daycare are NOT happy kids.
They feel left and abandoned by both parents but let’s admit it as they did Carol was the one that usually took him to his caregivers.
Imagine, what that little fellow had been through at such a young age and for what to roast in a car.
I am not partial to either parent but those who adopt really need to BE a parent not just enroll the adoptees in care because they have a career.
I think day care should NOT be allowed in this country. To many parents have to work but if one sacrifices they could manage, for a few years to put the driven materialistic desires,and career driven egos on hold.
After all isn’t it adoption in the “best interest of the child”
Oh, one more thing, I believe in bc as not everyone is up to parenting, not even those who adopt!
Benny
I’ve got an afternoon update over on my blog
Judge R. Terrence Ney refused to dismiss the case this morning.
Thanks for the update. I looked a few yours ago in WaPo and there was no article up. Now it is. You are correct in your analysis: I could do a better defense.
It’s not my intention to start a discussion on daycare here, but if there’s no daycare just what are people supposed to do with their kids all day? Or do your propose cradle to grace welfare for the breeding class? What are the working poor to do?
Sorry, Marley. I thought this was abuse.Since it is neglect, then, rather than looking brutish, he looks stupid.
Benny posted:”And they say teen mothers are terrible mothers. Don’t take care of their babies, only think of themselves, want to party all the time, obviously this baby was an imposition to the “older” parents.”
The Guttmacher foundation was one of the first ones to put out a “study” marking single and teen mothers and probable neglectors and abusers. It was slanted by the attitudes of the times and has been used, along with other such slanted “research” to stereotype these mothers, ever since.
My experience with them has been just the opposite. The ones I have been involved with are attentive, focused and have done well with their children and themselves.
I figured you’d just gotten confused, Robin. Thanks for the clarificaton.
I’d never heard of the early Guttmacher Report, or had forgotten about it.
Our opponents like to use old material, which was a product of its time, created by now outdated mythology, etc, to attack us now. Until the early 2000s, NCFA sold offprints of a c 1981 4-part journal article that pathologized, in turn, natural parents, adoptees, adoptive parents, and finally, in the last issue adoption social workers who supported openess in adoption and records access.
I also think that such “studies” are like many others…slanted to reach the conclusions that support the aims of those who commissioned the studies.
Even the Evan B. Donaldson Institute report on Natural Mothers that came out a couple of years ago was just feeding crumbs to the idea that a mother’s loss was traumatic.
They can’t kill that magic goose because they covet the golden eggs.