Zyairr Davis: From Juvenile Offender to Adult Defendant - The Case of Tessa Majors' Attacker
A New York City teenager involved in the 2019 stabbing death of Barnard College freshman Tessa Majors is now facing charges of attempted murder and assault after serving a juvenile sentence. Zyairr Davis, one of the teens arrested in the attack, is back in custody for his involvement in a gang-related shooting in Harlem, where he faces nearly a dozen new charges in adult court.
Tessa Majors, a student from Charlottesville, was attacked by Davis and two other teens in Morningside Park near campus. Despite her efforts to fight back, she was fatally stabbed by one of the assailants. The incident led to a tragic outcome, with Majors suffering multiple stab wounds, including a fatal one through the heart.
While the two other teens involved in the attack were charged as adults and received lengthy prison sentences, Davis was initially sentenced to 18 months in juvenile detention for robbery. However, he is now facing serious charges in connection with the recent gang-related shooting in Harlem, leading to his return to custody.
Davis has pleaded not guilty to the charges related to the Harlem shooting and is scheduled to appear in court for the jail brawl case and the shooting incident. The case has raised concerns about the effectiveness of New York's "Raise the Age" law, which determines how cases involving teens under 18 are handled in the legal system. Davis, now charged as an adult, is awaiting further legal proceedings in the upcoming months.