Jeremy O. Harris has been released from Japanese custody.
A representative from the Tomishiro Police Station in Okinawa’s Tomigusuku City told the New York Times that the Tony-nominated playwright was released on Dec. 8 after spending three weeks in police custody.
As previously reported by theGrio, Harris was arrested on Nov. 16 at Naha Airport in Okinawa after customs officers reportedly found 780 milligrams of Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, in his carry-on bag. Japanese officials allegedly referred the case to prosecutors, citing a violation of the country’s Customs Act.
Though the spokesman of the Tomishiro Police Station declined to comment on whether or not charges had been filed, a representative from Harris’ team told the news outlet that the “Slave Play” creator was “released without charges” and plans to stay in Japan to write and research for an upcoming project.
Harris rose to fame with his 2018 play “Slave Play,” which he created during his first year at Yale Drama School. The play, which delves into themes of gender, race, power, and sexuality, achieved historic recognition in 2020 by earning a record 12 Tony nominations for a non-musical. Although none of Harris’s nominations secured any wins that year, he continued to work on notable projects, including “Zola” in 2021, the HBO Max revival of “Gossip Girl” (2021), and Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” (2022), among others.
