Extortion charge dismissed against former John Howard Society manager

A former manager at a high-profile prisoners' advocacy organization has been cleared of an extortion charge after the complainant in the case failed to show up at trial to testify.

Rod Harris was accused of threatening to fail the complainant's urine test if he didn't provide Harris with sexual gratification, according to court documents obtained last year.

Harris was formerly the second in command at the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of the John Howard Society. He was charged with extortion for the alleged incident, which happened in June 2021 while Harris was managing a halfway house in St. John's.

He was charged in March of last year, pleaded not guilty to the charge the following August, and was prepared to stand trial this past June.

But the complainant in the case — despite telling the prosecutor he would testify, although he was "very stressed" about the prospect — ultimately didn't show up to court, forcing the Crown to call no evidence.

The extortion charge was dismissed as a result.

The complainant, who can't be identified due to a publication ban, was an inmate at Her Majesty's Penitentiary when Harris was arrested in March 2023.

Harris left the John Howard Society after the organization "became aware of … a breach [of policy] and acted upon it immediately," according to a statement last year from director Cindy Murphy.

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