Melvin Harris, a 41-year-old father from Phoenix, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter following a 2018 incident involving the death of a man. The case stemmed from an altercation outside a convenience store near 19th and Dunlap avenues,
The incident began when Harris’s teenage daughter reported that a man had made her feel unsafe inside the store’s restroom. After security escorted the man outside, Harris confronted him, which led to a physical altercation. The man sustained serious injuries and later died.Initially charged with second-degree murder, Harris accepted a plea deal, reducing the charge to manslaughter. The case drew public attention for raising questions about self-defense and the limits of parental protection.