A since-deleted LinkedIn post announced that DeVonté Douglass had landed a special-assistant role in Philadelphia City Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr.’s office, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The appointment puts attention on the criminal case that ended Douglass’s work at the District Attorney’s Office and on what, if any, vetting preceded the hire.
The case arose from an October 2020 meeting in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion section between Douglass and 31-year-old Vernon Harris for a paid sexual encounter. Both men were armed, and investigators determined Harris had attempted to rob Douglass at gunpoint and that Douglass acted in self-defense; prosecutors did not pursue homicide charges, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Because Douglass was then employed by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, that office had a conflict of interest and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office took over the case, charging him with soliciting prostitution, possessing an instrument of crime, and misleading investigators.
State prosecutors alleged that Douglass initially told homicide detectives he knew Harris from high school and had gone to lend him money. He later acknowledged that they had agreed to meet for a sexual encounter and that he had paid Harris $250 through Cash App beforehand, prosecutors said.
How the Case Was Resolved
Douglass pleaded guilty to a prostitution-related misdemeanor in 2021 in exchange for the other two charges being dropped, and he was sentenced to probation. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office fired him following the case, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Since then, Douglass has worked with justice- and safety-focused nonprofits and as a secretary in the Philadelphia court system, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has described himself there as a criminal justice professional with more than a decade of experience across the legal system.
What Is Known About the Council Role
Young is a first-term Democrat representing Philadelphia’s 5th Council District, which covers most of North Philadelphia and parts of Center City. In the now-deleted post, Douglass said he would begin as a special assistant on Monday and described the position as another opportunity to serve the city and the communities that shaped him. The post was taken down by Wednesday afternoon.
Neither Douglass nor a spokesperson for Young responded to requests for comment Wednesday, per the Inquirer’s reporting. It remains unclear what, if any, vetting process preceded the hire. Under Pennsylvania law, employers may use an applicant’s criminal history only to the extent that it relates to the applicant’s suitability for the position, according to Pennsylvania’s General Assembly. An employer who declines to hire someone based wholly or partly on that history must notify the applicant in writing.
Philadelphia’s Criminal-Record Hiring Rules
The City of Philadelphia says its Fair Chance Hiring law bars covered employers from asking about criminal records on job applications and applies, with some exceptions, to employers with one or more employees; the city’s materials do not establish whether a specific City Council office is covered. For covered employers, background checks may follow a conditional offer, and applicants must be assessed individually using factors including the offense, time elapsed, job history, job duties, references, and rehabilitation. Convictions generally may be considered only if they occurred within seven years of the application date, excluding time spent incarcerated, according to the City of Philadelphia.
