In a tragic turn of events, a Phoenix father who took matters into his own hands after his daughter was followed into a restroom has been sentenced after pleading guilty to manslaughter. Melvin Harris, 41, initially faced second-degree murder charges but later accepted a plea deal.
Incident at the Convenience Store
On August 2, 2018, Harris drove to a QuikTrip convenience store near 19th and Dunlap Avenues to pick up his 16-year-old daughter and her friends. While inside, his daughter went to use the restroom. When she exited, she told her father that a man had tried to enter her locked stall.
Security at the store had already escorted the man, identified as 26-year-old Leon Armstrong, outside. When Harris’ daughter pointed him out, Harris approached security and stated he would handle the situation himself. Shortly afterward, Harris confronted Armstrong in a gravel area near the store.
Fatal Confrontation
According to witness statements, Harris punched Armstrong in the face, knocking him to the ground. He continued to beat him, striking him multiple times before leaving the scene. Armstrong suffered a severe brain injury and was transported to the hospital, where he died a few days later.
Police arrested Harris at his home, and during questioning, he admitted to hitting Armstrong but claimed he did so only after Armstrong swung at him first. However, witness reports and surveillance footage indicated that Armstrong was on the ground when Harris continued striking him.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Initially charged with second-degree murder, Harris later accepted a plea agreement for manslaughter. His defense maintained that he acted as a protective father, but prosecutors argued that the level of force used was excessive.
Family members of Armstrong expressed their grief, with his step-grandmother stating that he struggled with mental illness and homelessness. Armstrong’s relatives believed he had no ill intentions and may have been confused when he entered the restroom.
Harris’ fiancée, Diana Jackson, defended his actions, stating that he was only acting as any father would. She described him as a dedicated family man and expressed sorrow over the tragic consequences of the incident.
As the case concluded, it sparked discussions about self-defense, the use of force, and the consequences of vigilante actions. The incident remains a poignant reminder of how quickly situations can escalate, leading to irreversible outcomes.
Police obtained a detailed description of Harris’ car from video surveillance footage and tracked down the man at his home, which is near the convenience store, and detained him for questioning.
“During the interview, he admitted to punching the victim in the face but said it was only because the victim swung at him first, striking him near the neck and shoulder area,” according to court records. “After hitting the victim, the victim fell to the ground and curled up into a ball. Melvin denied recalling any further strikes to the victim while he was down on the ground.”
Harris was initially arrested on suspicion of felony aggravated assault. The charges were upped to second-degree murder after Armstrong died on Aug. 7.
Police said Armstrong suffered swelling to the brain and a nasal fracture in the confrontation with Harris.
“I understand you want to defend your daughter; I totally get that. I have kids myself. But the way [Harris] went about it was totally wrong,” Armstrong’s sister, Ashley Armstrong, told ABC affiliate station KNXV-TV in Phoenix.
Armstrong suffered from drug addiction and mental illness, and had been living on the streets of Phoenix, his step-grandmother, Marie Armstrong, told KNXV.
Note: we are republishing this story, which originally made the news in November 2019.