Trial - Ross Harris #2

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minor4th said:
The State is trying to have it both ways:

They've implied Cooper was dead a long time because rigor was present and an alleged strong "death" smell.

On the other hand, through their heat expert, they're trying to make the point that Cooper was alive until close to the time of his discovery.
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I'm really, really, looking forward to the defense's turn. :)
 
minor4th said:
Point being, overly emotional 18 year old jilted/jealous "lovers" don't make for very reliable witnesses.

I don't think he wished he were dating her for even a nano-second. His whole deal was to get sexual attention from as many females as possible, without the shackles of responsibility or commitment. He liked chatting with her and the sexual banter.
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The only issue is that the JM relationship wasn't sexual. IMO it was an emotional, not sexual, relationship.

The games that both of then played with each other reminded me of a relationship of one of my college roommates. It was an emotional roller coaster (with both of them trying to anger the other party, makeup, repeat). It's not the sign of a healthy relationship, but I don't think that Ross is capable of a healthy relationship.
 
Rayemonde said:
A couple of the women testified that Ross told them he'd been caught by the wife and had to lay low for a while, too. So she already knew before Cooper's death that Ross was unfaithful. She probably didn't know the full extent of it, though!
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Kilgore said in opening statements Leanna knew RH was cheating because she had checked his phone. Not sure if that was the "caught" incident referred to by Meadows and others.

Leanna knew, and they had gone to counseling. I agree that it's highly unlikely she knew the scope of his unfaithfulness, and I think it's impossible she knew about RH hooking up with a man and a minor and tolerated that.
 
catpatrol said:
That's the impression I got. A woman from the gallery stood up and walked out of the courtroom with her when she was done testifying. She probably wasn't thrilled that her mom also found out that she gave a guy $1k for drugs.
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I do that was the look of shame on her face as she had to answer some of those questions was probably due to them sitting in the gallery. While much of this phone and drug stuff is risky behavior you never (esp at 18) think you would have to sit up on a stand and talk about it. In some states you can request not to be on camera only the audio so as to not have your face known to every tom/dick/harry out there...I guess that is not an option in this courtroom? As a mother I would have pressed hard for that.
 
Hope4More said:
I'm really, really, looking forward to the defense's turn. :)
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I am too - mostly because I have been very impressed with Kilgore's preparation and presentation so far. It is really thrilling to me to watch a great trial lawyer in action. (I am such a law nerd).

I think prosecutors often get lazy and are not as prepared as they could be, probably because they have it much easier since they are thought to be righteous, and police testimony is usually accepted as true and well-intentioned, and because they have an every day familiarity and working relationship with their judges, and most criminal judges are former prosecutors.
 
Does anyone have a sense how far along the State's case is? They can't very well continue to parade more of these "girls" up there..the point has been drilled down enough....not having a witness list not sure. I assume Leanna will be toward the end part of defense case right?
 
GA_Peach said:
The only issue is that the JM relationship wasn't sexual. IMO it was an emotional, not sexual, relationship.

The games that both of then played with each other reminded me of a relationship of one of my college roommates. It was an emotional roller coaster (with both of them trying to anger the other party, makeup, repeat). It's not the sign of a healthy relationship, but I don't think that Ross is capable of a healthy relationship.
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They sexted each other on the reg IIRC.

I didn't really see Ross trying to anger her (but I did not pay super close attention to all the texts).

Agree that Ross has shown no indication of being capable of a healthy relationship.

But by definition this "relationship" was unhealthy, and not because they played manipulative games. It was unhealthy because it was fantasy, it was online only, it was a secret, it was between a married 30-something-year-old and an 18 year old with behavioral and possibly substance issues (making inference about drug money). IMO both of these individuals were unhealthy independently of each other, and given the circumstances there would be no possibility of a "healthy" relationship.
 
The defense should probably be happy I'm not a juror. I'd be a lousy one. IMO, most of the sexting, etc. is background noise to me. From watching and seeing the size of the car, the location of the car seat and RH's "husky" figure, the briefcase, the parking spot at work and the light bulbs, there is NO possible or probable explanation, again IMO, for him NOT to see Cooper was in his car seat. I was willing and WAS giving RH the benefit of the doubt. People get distracted, etc. - of course, I'm of the belief that a few "hot car deaths" aren't accidents at all. But, RH must have the attention span of a gnat for this to be just an accident. Unless he put a set of horse blinders on and could only look straight forward. Even at lunch, when one opens the car door, in any sort of heat, the wave of steaming air comes right out at you. Any odor IN that vehicle comes out. The scent magnifying in the heat. You can even smell the material on the seats, the plastic or the carpet scent. A hot diaper?? WOW!! Also, maybe it's just me, but, kids have a "different" type of scent to me. So, it's basically a physics type of thing. Air bottled up, WILL leave when given an opportunity to do so, especially, when the air OUTSIDE is cooler than the air inside - such a tragedy for little Cooper.

What sealed the deal for me was JM's testimony. I had visions of Susan Smith and Diane Downs. Remember what these monsters did with their children, whom, by all accounts, they loved? We saw happy family pics, love shown and people attesting to the fact of the love these women had for their children. How could they do that? Most can't understand or get into the mindset of these people who take the life of their own baby - I can't even try to know what they think. IMO, maybe THEY don't even know what they're thinking at that time they make the decision to believe life without their child would mean freedom for them. Desperate times call for desperate measures. IMO, ones mind goes past that love and begins to look at that child as an anchor. But for that child, they'd be with so and so. Life would be skipping thru a meadow in love forever....even needing to overcome obstacles goes out of their minds - even when the reason for the action might NOT be as it appears.

People want to believe the type of monsters who do things such as these are bad men/women with scruffy beards (or a chin mole with hair coming out of it), beady eyes, bad complexion, rotten teeth and greasy hair. Susan Smith was pretty and had that cute little accent of hers. She watched while the water took the life from her little boys. Looking out that back window at her. Probably thinking "what did we do that was so bad"??

Sorry, all wolves in sheep's clothing.
 
minor4th said:
I am too - mostly because I have been very impressed with Kilgore's preparation and presentation so far. It is really thrilling to me to watch a great trial lawyer in action. (I am such a law nerd).

I think prosecutors often get lazy and are not as prepared as they could be, probably because they have it much easier since they are thought to be righteous, and police testimony is usually accepted as true and well-intentioned, and because they have an every day familiarity and working relationship with their judges, and most criminal judges are former prosecutors.
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I couldn't agree more about how thrilling it is to watch a great trial lawyer in action. :). I've thought about Juan Martinez (another great) as I've watched Kilgore. They have two diametrically different approaches to most everything, including trial theatrics.

Kilgore is the empathetic, even toned listener to witnesses, never overtly confrontational, and even apologizes when he "has to " ask difficult or embarrassing questions. He's absolutely masterful at making it appear that State witnesses are voluntarily cooperating with him, that they are on the same side, so to speak.

As very much opposed to Martinez , who owns witnesses, who pushes, prods, and confronts them, even his own, and who openly displays impatience with them when they aren't going in the direction in which he's yanking them ("Is that a YES or NO, m'am?").

To add...I think prosecutors expected to try RH while the white heat of the negative PR they stoked still lasted. There's no way they anticipated this judge would agree to a change of venue and the intendant delay.
 
turaj said:
Does anyone have a sense how far along the State's case is? They can't very well continue to parade more of these "girls" up there..the point has been drilled down enough....not having a witness list not sure. I assume Leanna will be toward the end part of defense case right?
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They are going over now, State has about a week. Evidently there is 1 more minor to testify. Then they wrap up next week
 
Stoddard is coming soon

MINOR now testifying, so they have mic and video down. Good stream (still hugging and thinking whomever shared the Fox5 youtube link. Not much buffering as the others. I like the others for review and appreciative of all lol )

[video=youtube;ALrJvibgC30]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALrJvibgC30[/video]
 
A minor is testifying now. Video and twitter feeds are cut.
 
Before they cut the feed for the minor, I thought I heard the judge say the order. Minor, named witness, lunch break, Det.Stoddard.
 
arkansasmimi said:
They are going over now, State has about a week. Evidently there is 1 more minor to testify. Then they wrap up next week
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Wrapping up - with one minor, today, right now, and one week to go? Sounds like they expect Stoddard's turn on the stand is going to take awhile. :D
 
So there were 2 minors he was involved in?

(answered my own question, that explains counts 7 and 8)

Ct.1: Malice Murder
Ct. 2: Felony Murder
Ct. 3: Felony Murder
Ct. 4: 1st Degree Cruelty to Children
Ct. 5: 2nd Degree Cruelty to Children
Ct. 6: Criminal Attempt to Committ a Felony. to wit: Sexual Exploitation of Children
Ct. 7: Dissemination of Harmful Material to Minors
Ct. 8: Dissemination of Harmful Material to Minors
 
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