The Grand Jury & Trial

[gngr~snap]

I know one of the women he was sexting was a minor...Was the woman/girl he met for sex in a park a minor?

If my memory serves me correctly, she was a minor and he played the guitar for her at a park in Cherokee County.
About 25 miles away from his home
(It's not like he could bring her home or that he could go to her home if this was a mnor)
I also believe there were at least 3 minors involved, but not much has been reported on that. We may hear more in trial.
*AND my memory could be wrong! It would NOT be the first time!

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[gngr~snap]

I believe that this was a minor he was texting. I thought she met him there. Maybe not.

"During the probable cause hearing, a detective with the Cobb County Police Department alleged Harris met one of the women with whom he exchanged explicit messages at Olde Rope Mill Park, in Woodstock."
http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/11/justice/georgia-hot-car-toddler-death/


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[gngr~snap]

http://fox61.com/2016/03/05/father-...h-indicted-for-allegedly-sexting-with-minors/

Here is where it says three were underage.


"Three of the recipients of Ross Harris’ messages were underage, the detective said in a January 2015 hearing"
.
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[rob]

Yeah, what the heck? Is that correct? BBM:


"Leanna Harris publicly stood by her husband in the days following their son's death.

'Ross is, was and will be a good father if we ever have children again,' Mrs. Harris told the crowd gathered at her son's funeral in Alabama.

She said she was not mad at her husband for what happened.

She quietly, however, filed for legal separation the day of Cooper's death. Leanna Harris filed for divorce in February 2016, writing in her petition that the couple's marriage was 'irretrievably broken.'"

http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/120860174-story

Whoa!!!!!! This happened after Ross got off work.
So what did she do? Race to the courthouse to file before they closed at 5? Or was she at her attorneys office during the day BEFORE the death happened? Something doesn't sound right about that statement.
Or there is still more to the story.
All MOO

 

[gngr~snap]

Whoa!!!!!! This happened after Ross got off work.
So what did she do? Race to the courthouse to file before they closed at 5? Or was she at her attorneys office during the day BEFORE the death happened? Something doesn't sound right about that statement.
Or there is still more to the story.
All MOO

Stay tuned! This does sound "odd"
She HAD to have filed earlier in the day!
Is this the smoking gun?

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[JerseyGirl]

What?!? She filed for divorce the day of Cooper's death?? The same day she also said, " "Did you say too much?"

 

[rob]

The expected testimony of two potential defense witnesses is the focus of other motions from prosecutors, as they seek to exclude evidence that could be shared by two experts named by Harris’ attorneys — Dr. Bhushan Agharkar and Dr. David Diamond.

Agharkar has served as a defense witness in the area of forensic psychiatry in death penalty cases in Georgia and Arkansas.

Diamond is identified on the University of South Florida’s website as a professor, whose Ph.D. is in cognitive and neural sciences. His research, according to the site, includes studies of the neurobiological issues surrounding “Forgotten Baby Syndrome,” or the “failure to remember that a child is in one’s car.”

No date has been set for Staley to hear arguments on these state motions as well as several filed last week by Harris’ defense team.

http://www.mdjonline.com/news/prose...cle_8e7263a4-00cd-11e6-9bcd-8b43d3f8eb35.html

I hate to say it, but most 'expert opinions' seem to be as good as the check they got paid. They will say anything the paying side wants said. I believe that I would put very little weight behind almost anything the expert said.
Also, sometimes, it seems like all they are doing is delaying the trial.
So many times after the trial, it the jury speaks, they even say the expert opinions didn't sway them.

 

[rob]

Stay tuned! This does sound "odd"
She HAD to have filed earlier in the day!
Is this the smoking gun?

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It would be hard to explain, I filed for legal separation at 11 am, my husband found our son dead in the car at 4 pm, and I asked him did he say too much at 5:30. Then told the world at my child's funeral that hubby would be the father to my future children.

 

[gngr~snap]

"quoting one woman with whom Harris was involved. That same woman said Harris told her he’d never get a divorce because he “wouldn’t want to mess up Cooper’s life.”

http://www.myajc.com/news/news/crime-law/prosecutors-offer-revealing-glimpse-into-case-agai/nqWPR/

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[tlcya]

Is it possible that it is just poorly worded in the report? Perhaps the author of the article is suggesting that the divorce paperwork filed by Leanna states they have been separated since the day of Cooper's death. If so that makes since as Ross has basically been in custody since that date.

 

[Inthedetails]

Is it possible that it is just poorly worded in the report? Perhaps the author of the article is suggesting that the divorce paperwork filed by Leanna states they have been separated since the day of Cooper's death. If so that makes since as Ross has basically been in custody since that date.

That might explain it, ticya.

It *seems* like the reporter isn't stating the facts clearly.....OR is stating the facts very clearly and this is rather a bombshell. However, anyone who has followed the case at all would know that piece of information would be crucial and wouldn't bury at the bottom of the article.

jmo

 

[MsMarple]

Whoa!!!!!! This happened after Ross got off work.
So what did she do? Race to the courthouse to file before they closed at 5? Or was she at her attorneys office during the day BEFORE the death happened? Something doesn't sound right about that statement.
Or there is still more to the story.
All MOO

Stay tuned! This does sound "odd"
She HAD to have filed earlier in the day!
Is this the smoking gun?

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I'd like to know more too. There is no "legal separation" in Georgia but there is in Alabama. So... if it's true that Leanna filed for a legal separation it may have happened before Cooper died since the time frame was so tight.

The Georgia courts do not recognize legal separation; it is not an action they can grant. In Georgia, "legal separation" means the spouses no longer engage in marital relations. The term has no time frame, and the two people can be legally separated even if they reside in the same house but do not share the same room or have sexual relations.

http://www.divorcesource.com/ds/georgia/georgia-legal-separation-5309.shtml

Alabama recognizes legal separation. A married couple may choose legal separation instead of divorce for several reasons, such as religion, medical insurance, or complications with asset and property division between the spouses. In a separation, the spouses remain married, but sever most of their other marital connections. In practice, getting a legal separation is very similar to getting a divorce in that the partners are required to account for the custody and support of their children before being granted a legal separation. A legal separation can later be converted into a divorce.

http://www.divorcesource.com/ds/alabama/alabama-legal-separation-5300.shtml

 

[gngr~snap]

Is it possible that it is just poorly worded in the report? Perhaps the author of the article is suggesting that the divorce paperwork filed by Leanna states they have been separated since the day of Cooper's death. If so that makes since as Ross has basically been in custody since that date.

Very possibly just worded wrong.

"Divorce documents reveal the couple was married on May 27, 2006, but have been separated since June 18, 2014 -- the day their son, Cooper Harris, died, and Justin Ross Harris was taken into custody."

Unless that is why his dad had him that morning and it has been kept quiet.

http://www.hlntv.com/shows/nancy-grace/articles/2016/02/11/justin-ross-harris-wife-files-for-divorce

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[magnolia]

I hate to say it, but most 'expert opinions' seem to be as good as the check they got paid. They will say anything the paying side wants said. I believe that I would put very little weight behind almost anything the expert said.
Also, sometimes, it seems like all they are doing is delaying the trial.
So many times after the trial, it the jury speaks, they even say the expert opinions didn't sway them.

Does your opinion apply to State expert testimony as well?

I think the expert testimony of Dr. David Diamond might be interesting. For me, it will depend on how impressive his studies are.

 

[Magdalyn]

I agree, that does sound fishy! The courts would presumably only be open from 9-5 and he allegedly had no idea his child was dying/dead all day, so I suppose, in theory, she could have been filing for 'separation maintenance' at the same time her child was dead or dying and her husband was sexting obliviously (allegedly). If they both DID have some grand plan, not sure how filing for separation maintenance they same day her child died, before she knew he was dead, would fit into the big picture...

Here's the thing:

Their divorce records are found here http://www.cobbsuperiorcourtclerk.com/COURTS/

Going back 5 years, there's no record of any legal separation. The first and only civil filing is LH filing for divorce. The document states they were separated 'on or around June 18th, 2014," which, you know, going to jail on June 18th does tend to 'separate' you from your spouse, in a very literal sense, on that date.

I actually don't think Georgia recognizes legal separation. You don't file for it here, from my understanding. You file for 'divorce', or 'annulment' or for 'separate maintenance' and separate maintenance would have to do with financial support and child custody. http://www.divorcesource.com/ds/georgia/georgia-legal-separation-5309.shtml

There's no civil record she did that. I don't think they'd remove a record.... They didn't pull the divorce. They have means to block docs from being opened (if specifics in the docs involve a minor) so if they were concerned regarding the upcoming I case, I'd think they'd just do that. You'd see the case, but you wouldn't be able to click to open the documents to read them.

I wonder if the journalist saw the 'separated on or around the 18th' on the divorce petition and ran with it. Perhaps LH's lawyer was drawing up the petition for divorce in January and said, "So when shall we say you started living in a state of separation?" and LH was all, "Well, uh....since he got arrested on the 18th of 2014." :dunno:

I'm pretty local to this story but haven't been following closely all the time we've been waiting for trial so there's probably a lot I don't know. Y'all feel free to correct me when I totally screw up what we know and what we don't know! :blushing:

Stay tuned! This does sound "odd"
She HAD to have filed earlier in the day!
Is this the smoking gun?

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[Magdalyn]

"quoting one woman with whom Harris was involved. That same woman said Harris told her he’d never get a divorce because he “wouldn’t want to mess up Cooper’s life.”

http://www.myajc.com/news/news/crime-law/prosecutors-offer-revealing-glimpse-into-case-agai/nqWPR/

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I love it when philandering spouses are worried about divorce screwing up their kids, not a thought given to what philandering can do.... :banghead:

 

[MsMarple]

I'm not familiar with Dr. Agharkar but Dr. Diamond and his studies were discussed here early on. He's a formidable expert witness; he coined the term "forgotten baby syndrome" and has testified in numerous hot car death cases, including one in Australia where a woman went to get fast food and "forgot" her baby in the car when she got home. [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...idence-suffered-forgotten-baby-syndrome.html] Yet another case in Utah: http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/news/58343829-78/skyah-car-belnap-april.html.csp

Here's his CV:

http://psychology.usf.edu/faculty/data/ddiamond_cv.pdf

I'm not 100% sold on his theory but he's done comprehensive research on the functioning of brain structures and how the different functions can interfere with one another when the person is under stress or when the person's normal habits are interrupted. He's conducted research on PTSD but AFAIK his primary focus is on the "forgotten baby syndrome," specifically in regards to hot car deaths.

That's why I say I'm not 100% convinced. I looked but couldn't find any hits in Google where Dr. Diamond testified in other types of cases, such as a parent "forgetting" their child in a bathtub or at the beach and the child drowned.

In any case he has an impressive CV and a highly regarded reputation. I can see why the prosecution wants to prevent him from testifying. And I mean no disrespect to Dr. Diamond personally but while I would like to think that if any expert witness concluded differently from whichever side hired them that they would decline to testify on their behalf, I don't believe that's what happens in courtrooms. At least not often. Expert witnesses receive huge paychecks for their testimony and when a "not guilty" verdict comes in it bolsters their courtroom rep, which makes them desirable for testimony in other cases, and so on...

I hope that if one or both of the expert witnesses testify they will have Cooper uppermost in their thoughts.

 

[Hippiemomof5]

I don't doubt that "forgotten baby syndrome" is something that happens to parents (rarely and generally when there's a change in routine). However, I think JRH was banking on them assuming that was the case with him.

 

[MsMarple]

I don't doubt that "forgotten baby syndrome" is something that happens to parents (rarely and generally when there's a change in routine). However, I think JRH was banking on them assuming that was the case with him.

ITA! While he was searching the Internet to see how long it takes for a living being to die in a hot car, and for tips on surviving in prison I'm sure he came across cases of hot car deaths and the various outcomes. It wouldn't take much to figure out the best strategy. Luckily he wasn't so good at IT and didn't cover his tracks.

I don't think there's ever been a hot car death case where the parent acted so bizarrely!

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/07/03/justin-ross-harris-cooper-toddler-hot-car-death-live-blog

 

[MsMarple]

Unhappy with being a father. Addicted to sexting. Marital infidelity. All possible motives prosecutors planned to offer to jurors when the malice murder and felony murder trial of Ross Harris begins. The Cobb County man faces the gruesome allegation that he intentionally left his 22-month old son to die in a hot car in June, 2014.

But the criminal case could come down to one main question for the jury: how could Ross Harris have not noticed his son on the short drive to work that morning or when he came back to his car later that day?
...
We immediately noticed just how close Cooper's car seat was to the driver's bucket seat. Cooper's head would have been only inches from his dad, who insisted he forgot he was there.

Lead detective Phil Stoddard offered similar remarks during the 2014 preliminary hearing when talking about their reenactment with a mannequin.

"The head was clearly visible poking up over the car seat," stressed Stoddard.
...
While many of us say we would never forget our children in a hot car, more than 500 have died just that way since the beginning of this century according to the advocacy group Kids And Cars.

And director Amber Rollins said there has never been a case where someone intentionally left their child in a car to die.

http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/i-team/121080400-story

[video=youtube;_FdmkaoZ-Io]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FdmkaoZ-Io[/video]