The Netflix docuseries Cheer — about the championship cheerleading team at Navarro College in Texas — will tackle the arrest of breakout star, Jerry Harris, on child pornography and sex charges when the show returns for its second season on Jan. 12.
The new trailer for Season Two features features footage of the FBI arresting Harris in September 2020, as well as what appears to be Navarro coach Monica Aldama’s stunned reaction to the news, “I can’t even process it right now.” In a statement, Cheer director, Greg Whiteley, said Harris’ arrest was one of several “difficult moments” the show will explore, along with the pandemic’s impact on the Navarro cheerleading team.
Harris was arrested by the FBI in September 2020 and charged with production of child pornography. Prosecutors claimed Harris repeatedly asked a 13-year-old boy to make and send him sexually explicit videos and photos of himself. And in an interview with authorities, Harris allegedly admitted to requesting and receiving child pornography from 10 to 15 individuals he knew were minors, as well as having sex with a 15-year-old at a cheerleading event in 2019.
Ultimately, Harris was hit with seven charges related to alleged incidents involving five minor boys. He’s facing four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, one count of traveling with the attempt to engage in sexual conduct with a minor, and one count of enticement. In December 2020, Harris pleaded not guilty to all charges.
A trial date for Harris still has not been set, and according to recent court documents obtained by Rolling Stone, it appears that prosecutors and Harris’ defense team have “met to discuss the possibility of resolving this matter short of trial.” A Dec. 6 filing said the two parties needed more time before they could “advise the Court about the direction of the case,” and a follow-up hearing is scheduled for Jan. 12.
A lawyer for Harris did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment.
While Aldama and the Navarro cheer team will remain the primary focus, Season Two of Cheer will offer a closer look at their biggest rival, Trinity Valley Community College. The TVCC coach, Vontae Johnson, is just as tenacious and determined as Aldama, while their squad features one of the best tumblers in the country, Angel Rice, whom one person loftily describes as the “Simone Biles of cheerleading.”
Cheer Season Two was directed by Whiteley, who said of the show’s return in a statement, “This season covers events as they unfolded, beginning in January 2020 through April 2021, following Navarro College and their rival Trinity Valley Community College on their journeys to the national championship. The new episodes also tackle extremely difficult moments, including the impact of Covid-19 and criminal charges against one of Navarro’s former team members. It was inspiring, heartbreaking, sometimes frustrating, and ultimately moving to be a part of their lives.”
From Rolling Stone US
