Trial - Ross Harris #6

[JerseyGirl]

I don't think this witness is helping the defense!?!

 

[Kadoober]

I know we're not quite at the end of the trial yet, but I'm curious if anyone has changed their mind about the case during the trial? Did you originally think one thing and now think another?

As for me, I never really thought he intended to murder Cooper. But, during the State's case, I did start to wonder if maybe he did. However, there is enough reasonable doubt for me that I couldn't convict on that charge.

I think his negligence caused the death of Cooper - it wasn't just "oops, I forgot." And, for that negligence, I think he should be found guilty. So, my opinion is back where it was at the beginning.

How about you? Anything change for you? Or reinforced?

(My pet theory that he left Cooper on purpose "just for a minute" while he checked into work still is on my mind. I realize they will not bring that up because it would admit guilt of knowingly leaving him....but I still suspect that is what happened.)

jmo

I have changed my mind... somewhat.
I felt quite certain that he killed Cooper with purpose, and I felt it was entirely possible that Leanna was on board with that.

Now... I 'get' Leanna, and I do not think she had any hand in this.
And I remain completely on the fence about Ross killing Cooper with intent. Whether he did or not, I do not see how it is provable beyond a reasonable doubt that he intentionally left him in the car.

 

[Inthedetails]

I don't think this witness is helping the defense!?!

It is showing he is weak and not reliable....the kind of guy who would avoid responsibilities at a job he liked would also avoid responsibilities toward a child he loved.

jmo

 

[JerseyGirl]

Brown says he assigned Harris a project in June 2014 but it wasn't getting done.

He said Harris was spending a lot of time on his phone at work.

Brown emailed him about it the day of Cooper's death.

 

[arkansasmimi]

Mr. Brown a good witness on direct jmho

 

[TexMex]

I think their priority is simply creating reasonable doubt for intentional murder.

I think they know their case against the other charges is weak, so they're putting everything toward that first charge of intentional murder.

And that means, imo, he's going to jail.

jmo

It's a good strategy. Life in prison if convicted on malice. I think they are basically conceding the sex charges

 

[JerseyGirl]

Brown says Harris brought Cooper into the office from time to time. In response to a question, he says Harris would relate "any small thing" about Cooper. He often showed off photos of Cooper -- even when Cooper was just wearing a new shirt or something.

Brown's wife just delivered their daughter last week, so he says he finally understands why others seem obsessed with their children.

 

[just the facts pls]

Mr. Brown told investigators that JRH was not a forgetful person eight days after the incident.

Now he is testifying that JRH is a forgetful person.

Maybe he means that JRH is "forgetful" when it suits him? That would be consistent with the entire reason this trial is going on.

 

[katydid23]

I don't think this witness is helping the defense!?!

I think they are setting this up as 'stress related' work issue---they need that for Dr Diamonds theory to fit

 

[JerseyGirl]

Rodriguez passes the witness to the prosecution for cross-examination.

Prosecutor Chuck Boring asks Brown whether he recalls saying, in an interview eight days after Cooper's death, that he didn't think Harris was a forgetful.

But Brown says Harris was, indeed, forgetful, that he once forgot to fuel up his car and ran out of gas and, as he'd testified earlier, Harris missed deadlines and forgot assignments.

Boring notes that people in the web development group frequently multi-tasked, and Brown agrees. He also asks that, if the defendant was working on his side business -- a hoped-for startup in web development -- he was violating company policy if he did so on company time. Brown says yes.

The prosecutor suggests that perhaps Harris just got lazy toward the end of his time at Home Depot. But Brown says it wasn't just laziness. It was more forgetfulness: he would forget something the two had just talked about 15 minutes before.

Brown also says he was unaware that Harris was texting and emailing women during work hours but concedes that might have been a reason he wasn't getting his work done.

http://www.ajc.com/news/local/minute-minute-the-justin-ross-harris-trial-nov/QbA8xkjmqFmIxJ8YWcZvKI/

Brown steps down. Court is in recess for lunch, returning at 1:00 p.m.

 

[just the facts pls]

Mr Brown denies JRH is playing dumb or "forgetful" when work isn't getting done.

But he just now testified that JRH's motivation faded as the project went on. His work "fell off."

I don't think it's out of line to conclude that JRH has a pattern of "forgetting" of his responsibilities when he no longer wants them.

 

[DaleTray]

She was visiting Ross in jail up to a point, I wonder what made her decide she never wanted to see him again??

hmm.....

One of lifes toughest questions is when trying to decide should one try harder or just give up

 

[arkansasmimi]

JMHO Boring didn't get much off of the witness.
Witness said that RH had to have gotten into the project to even prepare the email. Which was sent after midnight 6/18/14. Witness Brown had gotten on to RH 6/17/14 and RH left early without finishing project.

Def made points jmho on the clearing of cashe.
Courtroom laughed over the running joke of RH loving CF and Brown not and didn't see big deal of CF. RH went every morning per this witness.
Told LEO about forgetting tasks 10-15 min later. Boring said could it be just RH faking. Brown didn't seem to think so.

**Kilgore had brought up in OS about RH working late the night of 6/17/14-6/18/14 as well as emailing, searching for stuff, sending chat messages

Brown said RH was someone who didnt just take people word for something would google to fact check.

 

[Zoobiegirl]

When my kids were little, they'd 'accidentally' hit one another. So we called it 'accidentally on purpose.' My son would say ' I was just pretend fighting but I accidentally punched her...'
It was away to release his anger but pretend he didn't mean to because he loved her...usually anyway..

It used to go like this around here: Me: "did you hit him?"

Son: "No, he fell and hit my fist."

 

[katydid23]

JMHO Boring didn't get much off of the witness.
Witness said that RH had to have gotten into the project to even prepare the email. Which was sent after midnight 6/18/14. Witness Brown had gotten on to RH 6/17/14 and RH left early without finishing project.

Def made points jmho on the clearing of cashe.
Courtroom laughed over the running joke of RH loving CF and Brown not and didn't see big deal of CF. RH went every morning per this witness.
Told LEO about forgetting tasks 10-15 min later. Boring said could it be just RH faking. Brown didn't seem to think so.

**Kilgore had brought up in OS about RH working late the night of 6/17/14-6/18/14 as well as emailing, searching for stuff, sending chat messages

Brown said RH was someone who didnt just take people word for something would google to fact check.

I think Brown made Ross look very bad. He made it clear exactly how behind Ross was on his work project. At midnight he emails his team leader to say he cannot finish the work. In spite of that, he stayed up late sexting and messaging women. Does he go in early to talk to them, or to be there for the 9 am work progress calls, to smooth things over? NO---he takes Cooper to a sit down breakfast,and then when he gets to work he starts looking at cruise vacation plans. And he is messaging more women. And leaves work early to go the the movies?

I think that showed how irresponsible Ross was. He did not seem all that concerned about keeping his job.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Did Ross not have friends outside of work? Also where is his family in all of this?

 

[arkansasmimi]

Interesting that when they got back from break and Boring starts questioning her as to what she knew or didn't know about RH's 'activites', she gets upset again and says something to the effect "Let me make this clear............" Boring cuts her off and then tells her he has to ask her these questions and when she realizes getting upset isn't going to get her out of answering his questions, all of a sudden she's composed again and answers his questions.

But JMHO Kilgore made a point as to the divorce and why that Boring had been trying to make something different...

Kilgore: when last time you spoke with RH
Leanna: Jan or Feb this year (2016)
Kilgore: where did you move to, currently live and why
Leanna: xx Alabama, because of new boyfriend **Good for Leanna**
Leanna; If I never see him again in my life after today (believe she said would be fine?)... he ruined my life

JMHO that ended the testimony of Leanna good. Guessing the State didn't know she had a boyfriend. *in fairness they have not spoken to her nor has LEO since 6/18/14, and she jmho had good reason. BUT jmho I doubt that the State hasn't had PI investigating her.

 

[just the facts pls]

I think Brown made Ross look very bad. He made it clear exactly how behind Ross was on his work project. At midnight he emails his team leader to say he cannot finish the work. In spite of that, he stayed up late sexting and messaging women. Does he go in early to talk to them, or to be there for the 9 am work progress calls, to smooth things over? NO---he takes Cooper to a sit down breakfast,and then when he gets to work he starts looking at cruise vacation plans. And he is messaging more women.

I think that showed how irresponsible Ross was. He did not seem all that concerned about keeping his job.

I would add that JRH was also looking for another job, and thus had no incentive to be concerned about keeping his job. Putting this in perspective to the case, JRH also had no incentive to "remember" Cooper was in the car because his marriage was failing and he'd fallen in love with one of his many chat friends. JRH appears to be letting his previous commitments slide "accidentally on purpose" because he's got better things to look forward to.

 

[blue22]

I think Brown made Ross look very bad. He made it clear exactly how behind Ross was on his work project. At midnight he emails his team leader to say he cannot finish the work. In spite of that, he stayed up late sexting and messaging women. Does he go in early to talk to them, or to be there for the 9 am work progress calls, to smooth things over? NO---he takes Cooper to a sit down breakfast,and then when he gets to work he starts looking at cruise vacation plans. And he is messaging more women. And leaves work early to go the the movies?

I think that showed how irresponsible Ross was. He did not seem all that concerned about keeping his job.

I think it showed he was too involved in his phone (and we know what he was doing with that) to attend to his responsibility.

 

[minor4th]

Witness Brown was helpful to the defense on these points;

1) Ross bragged about his kid all the time, to the point of boring the men without kids

2) He wasn't just staying up late texting on the 17th

3) Recent decline in performance - could signal distraction/exhaustion, etc. Minor point, not sure how defense will use it.