Beshear administration investigating juvenile justice chief but not saying why
LaShana Harris, who was appointed state juvenile justice commissioner in December 2019 by Gov. Andy Beshear, is under investigation and has been placed on leave.
The state Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, which oversees the juvenile justice department, acknowledged its “ongoing investigation” of Harris in response to a request by the Lexington Herald-Leader for records regarding her months-long leave of absence.
When the newspaper asked for any complaints filed against Harris and any document alleging unprofessional behavior, the cabinet denied the request.
“Any correspondences or complaints submitted against Harris and received by the JPSC are considered preliminary and part of an ongoing investigation,” said Deanna Smith, a paralegal consultant for the Justice Cabinet, in a March 12 letter to the newspaper.
“Documentation that is considered part of an ongoing investigation has been withheld as preliminary in nature,” the letter said.
It added: “Premature release of any records related to an ongoing investigation in a public forum would prejudice witnesses and taint the investigation.”
When asked Monday afternoon by Harris is on leave, Gov. Beshear said it “is a matter being handled directly at the Personnel Cabinet and we will work to get a comment from those folks.” He did not elaborate.
Harris remains employed as the Commissioner of the Department of Juvenile Justice but is on leave, Morgan Hall, communications director for the cabinet, said Friday in an email.
Hall said any necessary executive decisions pertaining to the department are being handled by Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Deputy Secretary Ronnie Bastin. He is a former Lexington police chief. The cabinet’s secretary, Mary Noble, is a former Kentucky Supreme Court justice.
Hall has not answered questions from the Herald-Leader since January about why Harris is on leave, how long she will be on leave and whether it is paid or unpaid leave. Harris’ state salary is $115,000 a year.
Harris could not be reached for comment.
The Department of Juvenile Justice had told the newspaper in an earlier Open Records request that Harris’ personnel file contains no reprimands during her tenure as commissioner.
The legislature’s two judiciary committee chairs — Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Hopkinsville, and Rep. C. Ed Massey, R-Hebron — said they did not know why Harris is on leave.
Westerfied said he had called the cabinet to ask if Harris was on leave “and they declined to tell me, saying it was a personnel matter.”
Harris, a native of Danville and a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law, is the first Black woman to head the department. She has done extensive work in juvenile justice and has worked in state government for more than 19 years in various leadership positions.
The state’s website on the department says it “provides a range of services to sentenced, committed, probated, and detained youth and their families, creating opportunities for those youth to develop into productive, responsible citizens while enhancing public safety.”
It is one of the five departments under the justice and public safety cabinet. It was established in 1996.
This story was originally published March 22, 2021 at 10:07 AM.
