The jury in Mitchell County delivered a not‑guilty verdict for former high school basketball coach Derrick Harris on July 2, ending a case that began with his February 2023 arrest.
A swift verdict
The panel of jurors took only a brief period — less than an hour — to reach their decision, which cleared Harris of charges including criminal attempt to commit a felony, sexual contact by an employee or agent in the second degree, and sexual battery.
Harris had been taken into custody at his Camilla home and held at the Mitchell County Jail after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into allegations of inappropriate sexual contact with a minor.
The GBI had originally charged him with a slate of offenses such as enticing a child for indecent purposes, sexual assault by a person with supervisory authority, and two counts of solicitation of sodomy, before the indictment in October 2025 set the stage for the trial.
Prosecutors presented their case over several days, but the defense’s arguments and the rapid jury deliberation underscored the community’s divided views on the allegations.
While the verdict brings closure to the legal proceedings, it also reignites discussions about how such sensitive accusations are handled within local law‑enforcement and educational institutions.