The Grand Jury & Trial

[DexterMorgan]

You have to sign kids in at daycare. Plus his company was the daycare headquarters or whatever. Plus you always quickly converse with a staffer or teacher and make sure that your child is happy and content with you leaving him.

So how can he forget that none of that was done throughout his 8hr day. Especially when he went back to the car or especially if he glanced at that building during his lunch break.

Every time you pass by your kids school; You automatically would remember dropping them off 3hrs ago. Especially if the norm was to sign them in.

 

[borndem]

It's not so much that he researched it that's a problem - it's that he was CLEARLY trying to explain away his internet activity once he realized the cops were going to investigate it.

I think he believed it would be considered a tragic accident, and because of his wholesome image that he presented and his loyal wife, he wouldn't even be investigated. I'm not aware of any cases of accidental hot car deaths where the parents phones and computers were investigated like this.

If JRH had not been so obnoxious at the scene, they may not have ever looked too hard at him. But at the scene, he apparently briefly attempted to do CPR and then let others take over, and he didn't call 911 himself, and when police arrived he refused to get off the phone to provide them with the vital info they needed. Literally cussing at them. That's why they confiscated his phone, and that's what made them wonder what was going on on his phone that was more important than talking to police about his son.

If he had been distraught and cooperative, they wouldn't have had any reason to take his phone, and may have just taken him in for questioning and then let him go home with his wife. If he hadn't made them suspicious with his own actions, he may have never faced charges.

Yes. I think that his attitude at the scene made the LEO's look into the situation a bit deeper than they otherwise might have. And like so many cases -- usually a spouse-killing-spouse situation -- the more they looked the hinkier it became. And more so and more so. He really screwed up during the scene.

This guy is a piece of work.

 

[magnolia]

The possibility of forgetting one's child is in the car is common enough for parents to feel they need a system to remind themselves?? That's incomprehensible to me. I've put coffee pots in the refrigerator, driven away from a gas station or store with my purse on top of my car multiple times (sadly), on a daily basis forget where I've put my glasses or important papers or to make that call someone is expecting, but I have never, not once, forgotten my son was in the car. This case aside, in my real world, I literally can't imagine how it's possible to do so.

I can relate. I can't imagine how it's possible either. However, my situation was probably different than other parents who have forgot and left their child in a vehicle. During the years when my children were age 3 and under, I didn't work. My world revolved around my children. For the most part, my children were always with me. I would instantly sense something was missing if I got out of my car without my child.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

As a female, I don't believe that JRH's sexting makes him a murderer. There are plenty of people who are unfaithful to their spouse who don't end up killing their child. However, I am deeply troubled by the fact that JRH was allegedly sexting immediately before leaving CFA and resumed almost immediately after arriving at work. I can't help but think that this distraction contributed to Cooper being left in the car. I just can't move past the fact that he was so caught up in exchanging naked pictures that his child was left in a car to bake.

I have not ruled out that JRH intentionally left Cooper in the car, but I am having a harder time accepting that he merely forgot. Of course, this assumes that what I have heard from the media is true, but I do have doubts about that as well. The trial will help with this.

I do think that the gender make-up of the jury will likely affect the verdict.

The actual communication that was happening at CFA and upon his arrival to work was the "Whisper" app exchange with the woman who was saying she didn't like being just a wife and a mom and he said "we both need escapes". There wasn't any actual sexual conversation or pics being exchanged at that time from what testimony has said so far in preliminary hearings.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

It really seems like if the "hot car death" scenario was really their "worst nightmare/biggest fear" that they would have a) been researching it and learning about it 22 months earlier, when they brought home their newborn, and b) implemented some of the suggestions made to prevent it (for example, JRH could have put his large computer bag in the back seat instead of the passenger seat). Why was it that they had only recently been researching hot car deaths, what temperature did it need to be outside for a child to die in a hot car, and videos of vets demonstrating how quickly the car heats up inside? Because the risk seems to go down the older the child gets, as they become less likely to fall asleep in the car and they're more interactively verbal, and move to forward facing seats, etc.

It really seems like their fear should have been diminishing at that point, not suddenly becoming their biggest fear.

 

[MsMarple]

Current juror count = 21.

Bill Rankin ‏@ajccourts 1h1 hour ago
Juror #47 (out of turn): How can you leave child in car? Even you do forget because you're (sexting) "you're responsible." #RossHarris trial

Bill Rankin ‏@ajccourts 1h1 hour ago
Juror #39 in #RossHarris trial has conspiracy to commit bank fraud conviction and served 13 months in federal prison. He's likely ineligible

Bill Rankin ‏@ajccourts 3m3 minutes ago
Juror #41 in #RossHarris trial said she not only thinks he's guilty, she'd vote to give him the death penalty. Thinking she'll be struck...

 

[U2forever]

If he left the child intentionally because he was late and then "forgot" you would think that when he remembered he would have ran as fast as he could out to that car and got his child out as fast as he could and called for help. He didn't. I'm not buying the forgetful nonsense.

Kmouse, I agree with you 5000%.
Even though I think JRH is an evil-selfish-moronic-psycho-stupid-pig, I do not let my feelings for him get in the way of believing he did this on purpose.

 

[GA_Peach]

The actual communication that was happening at CFA and upon his arrival to work was the "Whisper" app exchange with the woman who was saying she didn't like being just a wife and a mom and he said "we both need escapes". There wasn't any actual sexual conversation or pics being exchanged at that time from what testimony has said so far in preliminary hearings.

Thank you for clarifying. I am not really sure if it changes my feelings on the matter. He was engaging in a behavior that took his mind and focus off Cooper, his primary responsibility.

I am a parent of three children, and I know what behaviors take my attention off of them. For example, I don't begin texting a friend or browsing the internet when I am preparing to cross a busy street with them. It is at those times that I am super focused on making sure that they are safe (holding my hand, looking for car that may not stop at the crosswalk, etc.). JRH should have been focused on getting Cooper to daycare and not playing on his phone. Out of everything in this case (assuming it is true), I am having the hardest time moving past his level of distraction immediately before strapping Cooper in the car and resuming shortly after arriving at work. It's as if JRH couldn't be bothered to concern himself with getting Cooper where he needed to be.

 

[Dymphna]

Thanks so much to everyone who has been providing updates through jury selection...y'all are awesome!!

:loveyou: :tyou: :yourock:

 

[Laughing]

If Ross get mostly men on the jury than it may result in a not guilty or hung trial.

The sexting will destroy him in the eyes of most female jurors but he may find 1 or 2 men that may still give him the benefit of the doubt.

IDK.

I served on the jury for a trial involving attempted rape of an 8 year old girl by a 16 year old.

The two men believed her, as did 4 women. The other 6 women thought this sort of thing didn't happen to 8 year olds, or that if you move your daughter into That Town that's what happens to her, or she was a willing participant.

Oh and she is a liar, she's lieing because girls from That Town lie.

Mistrial.

BTW age of consent in this state is older than 8.

Gender may not be the biggest factor.

 

[DexterMorgan]

IDK.

I served on the jury for a trial involving attempted rape of an 8 year old girl by a 16 year old.

The two men believed her, as did 4 women. The other 6 women thought this sort of thing didn't happen to 8 year olds, or that if you move your daughter into That Town that's what happens to her, or she was a willing participant.

Oh and she is a liar, she's lieing because girls from That Town lie.

Mistrial.

BTW age of consent in this state is older than 8.

Gender may not be the biggest factor.

Dang. Did the prosecution put the 8 year old on the stand in front of all to see ?

Was there a back story to why they thought the little girl was lying.

Did they think mommy had a vendetta against the family and coerced her?

Why would they think a 8 year old would lie about something like that.

I doubt 8 year olds would even think about going through the whole court ordeal on the basis of a big lie like that.

Shame on those jurors for stating what they did.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Back to business.

If mom was so worried and researched hot car deaths to learn how to avoid having this happen. Then wouldn't she have picked up tips on how to avoid it and made sure that Ross followed those tips.

Something as simple as a diaper bag or a favorite toy in the front seat would have reminded him every time that a baby is on board.

Why research tips on how to avoid your child drowning; But never make sure that you came equipped with their floatee before allowing them to get in the pool.

Those tips are there for a reason for those who fear it and want to be prepared for it not to happen to them. Jmo.

 

[Hope4More]

If he left the child intentionally because he was late and then "forgot" you would think that when he remembered he would have ran as fast as he could out to that car and got his child out as fast as he could and called for help. He didn't. I'm not buying the forgetful nonsense.

Say......say he got distracted by Whisper while at CF,lost track of time, was running late, and took Cooper to work and left him in the car.

If his goal was to make a show of being on time, then his mind hasn't moved on to work, he's making an appearance and then going straight back out.

But he doesn't. Approximately 12 minutes go by after he gets to work. It would be one thing if evidence showed that something unexpected or urgent happened during those 12 minutes that was work-related, or even that his boss was watching him and he didn't think he could walk out after just getting there. Something, though those 12 minutes of leaving Cooper alone in a closed car stretch long even with a "reason" for them. Already, what in those 12 minutes is more important than going back to his son?

12 minutes after he left Cooper in the car pass, and if something or someone had prevented him from going back out, that's no longer a factor, because after 12 minutes he begins texting again with Whisper lady, and keeps on texting for the next 10 or so minutes.

So, if he originally meant to go right back he didn't, for no discernable reason, and 12 minutes later he is not rushing out to reassure Cooper and drive him to daycare, and he's not even texting about sex, he is replying to Whisper's comments about her husband and KIDS and he types out.." I LOVE MY SON..."

Forget whether he could forget his son in 2 minutes while the daycare building is literally staring him in the face. The question that stretches credulity past the breaking point is--is it remotely believable that ONLY 12 or 15 minutes have passed since he's left Cooper in the car intending to go right back out but has forgotten, texts are exchanged in which children are mentioned and "discusssed" and he says MY SON and he doesn't remember right then if he had somehow forgotten? And freak and run?

Here's a nasty possibility. Maybe he meant to go back out but didn't hurry because he didn't have a problem with leaving Cooper in the car, LeAnn did. And maybe as he texted Whisper he needed an escape it occurred to him...maybe I just won't go back out. And maybe he texted the same thought twice within a very short time (in a text exchange of very few lines) "my wife doesn't like me going out with friends," because the first time was a complaint but by the second time, it was part of an "alibi" or scenario he was starting to work out.

 

[MsMarple]

Back to business.

If mom was so worried and researched hot car deaths to learn how to avoid having this happen. Then wouldn't she have picked up tips on how to avoid it and made sure that Ross followed those tips.

Something as simple as a diaper bag or a favorite toy in the front seat would have reminded him every time that a baby is on board.

Why research tips on how to avoid your child drowning; But never make sure that you came equipped with their floatee before allowing them to get in the pool.

Those tips are there for a reason for those who fear it and want to be prepared for it not to happen to them. Jmo.

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Defense attorney H. Maddox Kilgore told the court that Ross and Leanna had just learned of Gov. Nathan Deal's Look Again program, which was launched in mid-May. The program aims to "remind parents, caregivers and the public about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles."

The defense also cited the governor's program to explain several Internet searches Ross and Leanna Harris conducted in the days before Cooper died.

Police have alleged that the couple told them they looked up how hot a car needed to be to kill a child and that Leanna specifically "made similar statements regarding researching in car deaths and how it occurs."

The exact time frame for the alleged research remains unclear.

A search warrant states that Leanna Harris told police that losing her child because he was left in a hot vehicle was "her worst fear."

"Investigators questioned her further about this. Leanna stated specifically that her fear was that her child would be left in a hot vehicle, not the fear of losing a child," the warrant states.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/07/justice/leanna-harris-5-questions/

So... both parents were terrified they'd leave Cooper in a hot car, both did extensive research, including how hot the car would have to be to kill a child, for pete's sake. They even watched videos about how awful it is for the person inside the car. Then... nothing. Neither one bothered to employ any of the useful tips. Um, okay. Seriously, there is something very wrong here - Leanna specifically clarified that her worst fear was not losing her child but rather that he would be left in a hot car.

And then, that exact thing happened...

 

[seattlechiquita]

Hey peeps, just checking in. Been busy at work (hideous, I know), but thinking about this case often. Super duper happy to see some of my favorite peeps here (I'm talking to yah bordemnovich!)

 

[THATchick1021]

The possibility of forgetting one's child is in the car is common enough for parents to feel they need a system to remind themselves?? That's incomprehensible to me. I've put coffee pots in the refrigerator, driven away from a gas station or store with my purse on top of my car multiple times (sadly), on a daily basis forget where I've put my glasses or important papers or to make that call someone is expecting, but I have never, not once, forgotten my son was in the car. This case aside, in my real world, I literally can't imagine how it's possible to do so.

Thank you. So glad I am not the only one. When I have my kids with me I automatically, when I'm putting them in the car seats, think about how much of a pain in the butt it's going to be to get them out of the car seats at my next destination. It never leaves my mind. All of that aside, the "dreaded what he would like" comment from Ross is what sealed it for me. I can't for the life of me come up with a logical explanation for that comment. When exactly did he dread what Cooper would look like? It doesn't mesh. All MOO

Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk

 

[Hope4More]

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Defense attorney H. Maddox Kilgore told the court that Ross and Leanna had just learned of Gov. Nathan Deal's Look Again program, which was launched in mid-May. The program aims to "remind parents, caregivers and the public about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles."

The defense also cited the governor's program to explain several Internet searches Ross and Leanna Harris conducted in the days before Cooper died.

Police have alleged that the couple told them they looked up how hot a car needed to be to kill a child and that Leanna specifically "made similar statements regarding researching in car deaths and how it occurs."

The exact time frame for the alleged research remains unclear.

A search warrant states that Leanna Harris told police that losing her child because he was left in a hot vehicle was "her worst fear."

"Investigators questioned her further about this. Leanna stated specifically that her fear was that her child would be left in a hot vehicle, not the fear of losing a child," the warrant states.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/07/justice/leanna-harris-5-questions/

So... both parents were terrified they'd leave Cooper in a hot car, both did extensive research, including how hot the car would have to be to kill a child, for pete's sake. They even watched videos about how awful it is for the person inside the car. Then... nothing. Neither one bothered to employ any of the useful tips. Um, okay. Seriously, there is something very wrong here - Leanna specifically clarified that her worst fear was not that Cooper would die in a hot car but rather that he would be left in a hot car.

And then, that exact thing happens...

Wouldn't he have to be left in a hot car in order to die from being left in a hot car? I don't see the distinction.

----

The fact of that recent public hot car warning/program just made me realize... Cooper wasn't an infant, he was 22 months old and talking. If Ross left him in the car and didn't go right back out, it probably wouldn't take very long for Cooper to get worried, then frightened, then extremely upset.

Maybe upset enough to tell his daycare provider that his daddy had left him all by himself in daddy's car, and that the car was hot and it was very scary?

 

[DexterMorgan]

You'd think so, wouldn't you?

Defense attorney H. Maddox Kilgore told the court that Ross and Leanna had just learned of Gov. Nathan Deal's Look Again program, which was launched in mid-May. The program aims to "remind parents, caregivers and the public about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles."

The defense also cited the governor's program to explain several Internet searches Ross and Leanna Harris conducted in the days before Cooper died.

Police have alleged that the couple told them they looked up how hot a car needed to be to kill a child and that Leanna specifically "made similar statements regarding researching in car deaths and how it occurs."

The exact time frame for the alleged research remains unclear.

A search warrant states that Leanna Harris told police that losing her child because he was left in a hot vehicle was "her worst fear."

"Investigators questioned her further about this. Leanna stated specifically that her fear was that her child would be left in a hot vehicle, not the fear of losing a child," the warrant states.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/07/justice/leanna-harris-5-questions/

So... both parents were terrified they'd leave Cooper in a hot car, both did extensive research, including how hot the car would have to be to kill a child, for pete's sake. They even watched videos about how awful it is for the person inside the car. Then... nothing. Neither one bothered to employ any of the useful tips. Um, okay. Seriously, there is something very wrong here - Leanna specifically clarified that her worst fear was not that Cooper would die in a hot car but rather that he would be left in a hot car.

And then, that exact thing happens...

Agree my friend. And if FindHG was here; She would agree too.

Btw. I miss FindHG. And I hope our girl is okay.

Now. The hot car internet searches tells us that they want to make sure that it doesn't happen.

But they never mentioned what routines or awareness that they put in place to make sure that it didn't happen.

Especially since they just research it 5 days prior. Jmo.

 

[MsMarple]

Wouldn't he have to be left in a hot car in order to die from being left in a hot car? I don't see the distinction.

----

The fact of that recent public hot car warning/program just made me realize... Cooper wasn't an infant, he was 22 months old and talking. If Ross left him in the car and didn't go right back out, it probably wouldn't take very long for Cooper to get worried, then frightened, then extremely upset.

Maybe upset enough to tell his daycare provider that his daddy had left him in his hot car all by himself?

Ha, I should have been clearer - I went back and amended my post. My point was that Leanna's worst fear of Cooper being left in a hot car is incredibly specific, almost like a phobia. Yet neither she nor Ross did anything about it and then coincidentally Cooper was indeed left in the hot SUV. I have a hard time getting past that.

It's almost enough to make me wonder if Ross would have committed that particular kind of murder (hot car) on purpose in order to punish Leanna. Maybe it's a stretch but if Ross in fact murdered Cooper and didn't just forget him then it's worth considering a motive of revenge.

 

[Magdalyn]

Wouldn't he have to be left in a hot car in order to die from being left in a hot car? I don't see the distinction.

Respectfully snipped for focus:

Left in a hot car but survive means he gets very sick and/or Ross gets arrested for purposefully leaving his kid in a hot car, though still alive afterward. Though it doesn't take much time to go from alive/suffering from heat stroke to dead, for a child, in a Georgia summer.

But who knows what Leanna meant. I don't think either were entirely truthful surrounding why they searched. There may have been a big initiative in 2014, but in 1998, I lived in Cobb county, and had a baby in daycare, and I was keenly aware of hot car deaths. We, personally, were barely on the internet (internet was a baby back then). You have common sense and you hear stories on the news.

Like someone else above stated regarding drowning. I didn't need a state initiative or to watch informative videos on the internet to learn the dangers of leaving my baby/toddler in the bathtub, or next to a pool...even for a minute unattended.