NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News school board member Marvin Harris is in legal trouble, after a city councilwoman filed charges against him.
Sharon Scott told 13News Now she and Harris formerly dated. She is accusing Harris partly of stalking, trespassing and destruction of property.
An "insult" and "unsettling" were just some of the words Scott used to describe the situation. She said she awaits how things play out in court.
Harris faces criminal charges. Newport News police said they issued warrants for Harris' arrest on October 20. He turned himself in shortly afterward, according to a police spokesperson.
Scott filed the complaint against Harris, online court records showed. Those include one felony charge for destruction of property and four misdemeanor charges for stalking, installing software to control or disable, trespassing and entering property to damage.
Scott, who is a longtime member of Newport News City Council, said she and Harris were in a relationship for a few years until 2014. During which, Scott claimed Harris had proven to be violent and exhibited stalker behavior.
Scott told 13News Now she regrets not reporting to police about that sooner. Though, she said she just recently connected Harris to instances of vandalism.
Scott accused Harris of forcing himself into her home after she changed the locks, as well as destruction inside her home and to her cars.
Scott said she filed a protective order against Harris not long ago. Soon, she will go to court to ask for an extension.
As far as Harris's next day in court, online records showed he has a preliminary hearing set for December 20. His listed status is "released on recognizance," meaning the court allowed him to be released from jail for right now.
Harris has not responded to 13News Now's requests for comment.
A reporter also asked officials with Newport News Public Schools, whether Harris's arrest and impending court date affect his ability to serve on the board. "Newport News Public Schools has no comment at this time," a spokesperson wrote.
