Trial - Ross Harris #2

[DexterMorgan]

The sexting is not irrelevant if that was what distracted him that day---distracted him so much that he forgot his baby was in the car.

Agree. But I'm just mad that they are bringing up old flings from 2012 which shows no reason to bring up.

And I'm surprised that the judge allowed the witness to mention their 2012 encounter when she was in College. Jmo.

Now I must admit in regards to motive; Ross was paying money for quickies that financially he didn't have.

Plus he dreaded the private school tuition for 1year old Cooper.

So that is definitely motive.

But its also his fault. Because imo. That is too much money for private school for a toddler. Especially if you can't afford it.

Plus he spent too much on hookers and helping regular ladies out for 30 minute encounters.

So I agree.

Ross wanted to be a gigolo more than a dad. Jmo.

Now he complained about the cost of living.

But he was actually spending more money that wasn't needed.

So I agree. He definitely did have motive.

 

[JerseyGirl]

There was a point when Sims told Harris she was having some personal issues.

In July 2014, she told a detective that she exaggerated some things when talking to Harris. She said that wasn’t uncommon for her; Sims texted other people too.

“It wasn’t all lies,” Sims said.

Sims showed him pictures of some injuries.

Harris said, “Oh, I like those.”

You sent a picture of your panties and that’s what he was responding to, the defense attorney said. The prosecution rebutted saying the injuries depicted were in the same photo as the panties.

 

[katydid23]

Ok assuming just his sexting that day is relevant - we've now had 3 or 4 witnesses who were not sexting with him on the day Cooper died. And the one who was didn't start the sexting until after 1:00 p.m. Then we've got a maybe prostitute from a month before the death.

They are only presenting this evidence of character to show "motive" to intentionally kill Cooper and to me that is ridiculous on its face. Sexting days before and hours after you forget to take your kid to daycare is not in any way gross negligence that indicates a reckless or wanton disregard for Cooper's life.

These other witnesses go to his 'double life' scenario. It shows that he was not the choir boy that the defense is making him out to be. In fact, he was fairly obsessed with his sexual escapades to the detriment of his family and job and describes a possible motive, of him wishing to be a free, single man again.

I don't think he killed Coop on purpose. But he surely was recklessly negligent, imo.

 

[Maisiebelle]

RH was having a good look at Elizabeth Smith when she came into court....

 

[minor4th]

Is your position that Ross's activities leading up to and during Cooper's death have no bearing on whether he "forgot" or intended to kill him? I am really not understanding. Sorry.

In this case he wasn't sexting at the time he forgot Cooper - so I think it's irrelevant. Even if he was sexting right before he forgot Cooper, I don't think sexting is criminal negligence in that case.

If he had taken a big dose of heroin before he was supposed to drop off Cooper and went into a coma for six hours - and that caused Cooper to die of hyperthermia, then that's the kind of criminal negligence that supports a homicide conviction. Because death or serious injury to Cooper is a clearly known risk if his caregiver takes a bunch of heroin and is unable to care for the baby.

 

[katydid23]

Pretty risky behavior for both of them---to meet up with a stranger to have sex in a car---I hope this young lady is more careful from now on.

 

[katydid23]

In this case he wasn't sexting at the time he forgot Cooper - so I think it's irrelevant. Even if he was sexting right before he forgot Cooper, I don't think sexting is criminal negligence in that case.

If he had taken a big dose of heroin before he was supposed to drop off Cooper and went into a coma for six hours - and that caused Cooper to die of hyperthermia, then that's the kind of criminal negligence that supports a homicide conviction. Because death or serious injury to Cooper is a clearly known risk if his caregiver takes a bunch of heroin and is unable to care for the baby.

His sexting is just another type of addiction It is much like heroin, imo.

ETA: He wakes up at 5:45 am and immediately starts texting women asking for sex meet ups? That is crazy.

 

[rob]

Maybe I spend far too much time on this site but my daughter is 5 years old and I still send that text to my husband on the rare occasions he brings her to school. If you knew me you would know I am in no way one of those crazy hover moms but something about not physically being the one to drop my child at whatever specific location and see with my own eyes that she was handed off to the right caregiver/teacher just drives my anxiety through the roof. My husband used to get offended until after he left her in the car for like 10 steps once in a restaurant parking lot because he completely forgot he was driving her that day. Now when he drops her off anywhere he just automatically sends me a quick text letting me know she got into school or whatever activity okay.

I put that in the 'better safe than sorry' box

 

[Nana46]

I just wonder how much LH knew when she divorced RH.....I don't think all this explicit stuff was out then...if not then she got a shock if and when she found it out I would guess.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I've been following a local (Detroit) Amber Alert case today (child found safe, suspect at large). Will try to read today's discussion later.

 

[minor4th]

His sexting is just another type of addiction It is much like heroin, imo.

ETA: He wakes up at 5:45 am and immediately starts texting women asking for sex meet ups? That is crazy.

You think sexting is a risky and dangerous addiction like taking heroin?

The prosecution hopes for a whole panel of jurors like you

 

[katydid23]

You think sexting is a risky and dangerous addiction like taking heroin?

It is risky and dangerous activity if you are supposed to be caring for your vulnerable young child, and it gets in the way of your ability to do so.

The definition of addiction is doing something that negatively impacts all areas of ones life. His addiction to his sexual escapades was ruining his marriage, threatening his job, and ultimately cost him his child's life and his freedom.

 

[magnolia]

These other witnesses go to his 'double life' scenario. It shows that he was not the choir boy that the defense is making him out to be. In fact, he was fairly obsessed with his sexual escapades to the detriment of his family and job and describes a possible motive, of him wishing to be a free, single man again.

I don't think he killed Coop on purpose. But he surely was recklessly negligent, imo.

The defense is not trying to make RH out to be a choir boy. Quite the opposite. I encourage you to refer back to Kilgore's opening statement.

 

[rob]

I just wonder how much LH knew when she divorced RH.....I don't think all this explicit stuff was out then...if not then she got a shock if and when she found it out I would guess.

I would like to hear her interaction with family, friends, church members after all this came out. LH seemed to want a simple family life, that definitely wasn't what she was getting from RH. Maybe that's why she finally divorced him, pressure from family and friends.

 

[JerseyGirl]

The prosecution calls its next witness, Elizabeth Smith, who is 24.

Smith met him through Whisper in January 2014 and then continued their conversations on Kik. She was 21.

They talked almost every day, Smith said.

They sexted for a couple months and spoke on the phone once or twice.

She met him in person in a parking lot off of Interstate 75. He drove to where she was and then she got in his car. They engaged in sexual acts.

He at some point told her about Cooper.

Harris talked to her about “problems in the bedroom” that he was having with his wife. They continued texting up to the day Cooper died. They were sexting the morning Harris left Cooper strapped in the car seat in his SUV.

The defense is now cross examining Smith.

Smith said she met with detectives on July 10, 2014. She said that a friend called the police for her.

“Ross had never talked about leaving his wife,” the defense said.

“Correct,” Smith said.

She said Harris was big on exaggerating things, a big talker, make himself sound more interesting.

On April 25, 2016, they started communicating at 4:39 p.m. and Harris told her he was taking Cooper to a Braves game. He sent her pictures from the Braves game, including he and Cooper.

Smith said she actually saw a friend of hers in one of the photos he sent.

“OMG, cuteness overload,” Smith texted in response to the photo of Cooper.

The entire communication at the Braves game was the fact that Harris sent a photo, they thought it was weird he was near one of her friends and that was it. There was no sexual communication.

Some of his stories seemed farfetched, Smith said.

 

[minor4th]

It is risky and dangerous activity if you are supposed to be caring for your vulnerable young child, and it gets in the way of your ability to do so.

What about answering an important business call or spilling coffee on your lap or any infinite number of things that can distract a person caring for a vulnerable child? Are you drawing no distinction among any activities that distract a parent?

Some things, like shooting heroin, come with known risks and dangers that are known to everyone. Knowing the risk of harm to your child if you shoot heroin - if you go ahead and shoot heroin, disregarding the known and foreseeable risks to your child, then you're criminally negligent.

Texting while your child is in your care is not an inherently risky behavior - in other words, it's not like Ross thought tha tCooper might get hurt or die if he texts on the way to work, and despite knowing that risk he went ahead and texted anyway.

 

[JerseyGirl]

On the morning of Cooper’s death, at around 5:30 a.m., Smith texted Harris saying she wanted to participate in fellatio. He asked if she could come do it to him that day.

“Did he ever tell ya that his child was going to be in the car?” the defense attorney asked.

No, Smith responded.

Some of his stories seemed farfetched, Smith said.

Harris said he met or played with NSYNC.

 

[JerseyGirl]

The state calls Jayne Meadows to the witness stand. She’s a college student.

Meadows started talking to Harris in May 2013. She was 18 at the time.

“I just had a really bad breakup,” Meadows said. “Ross just kind of showed up at the time I need I guess.”

They met on the Scout dating app. He messaged her first.

He called her on the phone and they talked for three hours. Harris told her he was 25.

 

[rob]

I don't think RH just woke up one day and decided to get rid of C. I think it was a process. I'm tired of being married. LH is really not sexy/hot/interesting enough for me, kids cost a lot of money and so does a playboy lifestyle, child support would be a pain... until he decided to just end all his problems at once.
But somehow, I can't help but thing LH was in on it, like maybe not wanting to raise C alone, or thinking he'd be better off (she basicly said that)
But like many fools, he's busted and may go to prison (hopefully). Just to darn smart for his own good.
all MOO

 

[Magdalyn]

You think sexting is a risky and dangerous addiction like taking heroin?

The prosecution hopes for a whole panel of jurors like you

The OP simply said his sexting is just another type of addiction, much like heroin is.

As a sex addict he could be consumed by pervasive thoughts of getting his next fix (pictures, sexts, actual hook-ups, appointments with prostitutes, thoughts about covering all this up, hiding his double life from employer, spouse, friends, etc.). These thoughts and actions appear to consume time where he is neglecting other responsibilities....like getting his work done, and that super important job of keeping his son alive.

I think many on the jury will think his day filled with distracting sexting while charged with the one job of the safe delivery of a two year old to daycare is risky behavior when the child ended up dead.

If he were the daycare van driver, all the other details were the same, would this same jury think "ah, well, people sext. He forgot the kid, the kid died, honest accident, not criminal."