The Grand Jury & Trial

[DexterMorgan]

I honestly have been leaning toward he actually did in fact need the bulbs. I am guessing LH had asked for bulbs and RH wanted to get them at lunchtime as the 3 guys had decided at lunch to go see a movie after work and RH would need HR's approval. When RH called or texted LH potentially in the afternoon to ask for permission to go see movie with friends he could preempt his request something along the lines of "Hey honey, I grabbed those bulbs at lunch, man the lines were long. Hey, the guys invited me to an after work movie......"

Didn't his wife say that Ross must have left Cooper in the car when she went to pick up her baby.

And he was heading home and haven't spoken to her before pulling over. Does his job and the company day care let out at the same time or something?

 

[DexterMorgan]

The jury might be more sympathetic to "I forgot" if they believed it was possible for him to forget his son was in the car within no longer than 2 minutes of strapping him into his carseat.

Based on the comments here, public opinion where the trial is taking place, and the fact most potential jurors so far doing voire dire find that incomprehensible or a lie, I think it's a really tough sell, and if I were his defense counsel, a narrative I would prefer not to tell.

If jurors don't believe his I forgot account, IMO they'll be far more likely to make the leap from seeing him not just as an unforgivably negligent father and a cheating spouse who is so lacking in morality and conscience that he solicits sexual exchanges with minors, but as a lying coward who might well be capable of killing his son.

Idk. If his defense shows the 1000s of cases (including a judge ) where this has happened while most were not charged. Can actually make some think that he is not alone and a accidental scenario is not impossible. Jmo.

 

[hikerchick]

Do we know 100% for sure that the email from the daycare was related to Cooper's attendance on that day? If it was, then yes, that should have hit him like a ton of bricks. I have to say though, I get newsletters, fundraising stuff, etc., from my daughter's preschool once a week or so, and because they are mass emails, do not for a second make me think 'Hey, I forgot to drop her off.'

This coming from someone who thinks he is guy of intentionally leaving him to die, FYI. I don't want to come off as sympathetic, I just want to know what the facts are for sure.

 

[MsMarple]

Didn't his wife say that Ross must have left Cooper in the car when she went to pick up her baby.

And he was heading home and haven't spoken to her before pulling over. Does his job and the company day care let out at the same time or something?

Yep, and when the daycare workers tried to comfort Leanna by saying there could be many other reasons why Cooper never showed up all she did was insist that no, Ross must have left him in the car.

Ross wasn't headed home, he was on his way to meet up with his guy friends to see the movie "22 Jump Street." Ironically, during the conversation he had that morning with the married woman he said his wife didn't like it when he went out with his friends. I wonder, did he and Leanna argue about his going to the movie? Was he upset with her that day?

 

[MsMarple]

Do we know 100% for sure that the email from the daycare was related to Cooper's attendance on that day? If it was, then yes, that should have hit him like a ton of bricks. I have to say though, I get newsletters, fundraising stuff, etc., from my daughter's preschool once a week or so, and because they are mass emails, do not for a second make me think 'Hey, I forgot to drop her off.'

This coming from someone who thinks he is guy of intentionally leaving him to die, FYI. I don't want to come off as sympathetic, I just want to know what the facts are for sure.

According to Detective Stoddard's testimony the email was a general email sent to all parents by Cooper's teacher, so it wasn't about Cooper's absence.

1:53 p.m. ET: During the day, Harris received an e-mail from daycare: "He received a group email from his teacher, Cooper's teacher... and that email came in around 1:30 p.m.," said Stoddard.

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

 

[DexterMorgan]

Yep, and when the daycare workers tried to comfort Leanna by saying there could be many other reasons why Cooper never showed up all she did was insist that no, Ross must have left him in the car.

Ross wasn't headed home, he was on his way to meet up with his guy friends to see the movie "22 Jump Street." Ironically, during the conversation he had that morning with the married woman he said his wife didn't like it when he went out with his friends. I wonder, did he and Leanna argue about his going to the movie? Was he upset with her that day?

Why did he email her and asked if she could pick up Cooper?

Wouldnt a person call or atleast text and say that plans changed and you have to pickup Cooper.

I wonder if he was trying to show electronic proof of not knowing Cooper was in the car that wasn't related to his phone just so they wouldn't have a reason to run through his text messages.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Don't you have to replinish the diaper bag everyday at daycare. Wouldnt he have seen toys or snacks or a diaper bag in the back seat along with the car seat. Wouldnt he see Coopers little arm hanging out of the seat?

Very strange to be in and out of the car 4 times and not see something before pulling over.

 

[RainCheck]

Idk. If his defense shows the 1000s of cases (including a judge ) where this has happened while most were not charged. Can actually make some think that he is not alone and a accidental scenario is not impossible. Jmo.

1000's? There have been less than 1000, 664 to be exact, in the United States ever and just because the parents weren't charged doesn't mean those were accidental either. It's a really good way to murder your child and get away with it and people are aware of this due to media coverage of these deaths. Its easy for someone to cook their baby to death in a hot car and then cry about it and say they "forgot". This moron messed up when he left behind his trail of videos and web searches and expected people to believe he forgot him toddler after having breakfast with him seconds before. Most people actually get away with it.

 

[katydid23]

IMO what has been made public about his searches has been incomplete, contradictory, and misleading at times. Reserving judgement on all of that piece.

His lack of emotion could actually support IntheDetail's scenario, which IMO is plausible.

If he had a history of leaving Cooper in the car alone while he ran into stores or for even longer, I can believe the LeAnn I've been reading about could have pulled up a video on hot car deaths, insisted he watch it with her, and expressed her fear to him that she believed something terrible could happen to Cooper if Ross kept leaving him in the car.

I can believe the Ross I've been reading about would have resented her for "forcing" him to watch the video and for questioning his parenting. It's also possible that the video he/she watched discussed the legal consequences of leaving children in a hot car, perhaps even mentioned that term- malicious intent.

If that basic scenario is accurate (hypothetically), his lack of emotion could be because he knew- immediately- what the consequences were going to be, both legally and with Leanne, and sorry, it's difficult to think otherwise, that his immediate concern was for himself.

So why was she so 'supportive' of her husband during their child's funeral, if she had gone to all that trouble to show him clearly how dangerous it was to leave their baby in a parked car? I would be livid, angry beyond belief, if my husband kept habitually leaving our baby in a hot parking lot, even after he was taught how dangerous and deadly it was. Why was Leanne so supportive if she had shown him those preventive videos and he ignored the warnings and fried their baby to death?

 

[LinasK]

So why was she so 'supportive' of her husband during their child's funeral, if she had gone to all that trouble to show him clearly how dangerous it was to leave their baby in a parked car? I would be livid, angry beyond belief, if my husband kept habitually leaving our baby in a hot parking lot, even after he was taught how dangerous and deadly it was. Why was Leanne so supportive if she had shown him those preventive videos and he ignored the warnings and fried their baby to death?

Stand-by-your-man in public kinda thing. Cindy Anthony was the same way with Casey-public support at the funeral. What goes on in private may be a totally different matter.

 

[LinasK]

Don't you have to replinish the diaper bag everyday at daycare. Wouldnt he have seen toys or snacks or a diaper bag in the back seat along with the car seat. Wouldnt he see Coopers little arm hanging out of the seat?

Very strange to be in and out of the car 4 times and not see something before pulling over.

Can't remember because I rarely used daycares. Don't most stock their own diapers just in case?? By preschool (age 3) ours had to be pottytrained, it was an admission requirement.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Can't remember because I rarely used daycares. Don't most stock their own diapers just in case?? By preschool (age 3) ours had to be pottytrained, it was an admission requirement.

They all come with cubby holders for the kiddies which would hold extra clothes or whatever for just in case purposes. Some parents will restock the cubby on Mondays and take home whatever on Fridays.

Now I forget what day Cooper died on. But I'm sure that Ross would had to have more than just Cooper and a car seat. Jmo.

 

[gngr~snap]

June 18 2014 was a Wednesday.

Maddox Kilgore, said Harris texted his wife at 3:16 p.m. that day and said, "When are you going to get my buddy?
*http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/justin_ross_harris_hearing_bri.html

 

[MzOpinion8d]

I don't think Ross forgot him on the drive, I think he forgot him while at work. I think he meant to leave Cooper in the car, but just for a minute or two while he made an appearance at work. He was late for work, again, and he wanted to "check in." I think he intended to return to the car and bring Cooper to daycare, but forgot.

His ex-wife claims she is the one who searched for hot-car deaths. I think she did this because Ross had used the car as a short-term babysitter in the past, and it scared his ex-wife. She wanted to prove to him how dangerous it was.

When she found out Ross didn't drop off Cooper, I think she knew what happened - he forgot him in the car.

My gut tells me he "forgot" Cooper, but because he had done this in the past, it was a neglectant habit of his. He put his son in danger. He took a terrible risk with his child's life and that is his responsibility.

I'm tempted to lean toward a deliberate act of murder because of his immature attitude toward marriage, but my stronger hunch is that he forgot Cooper in the car while he was in the office, not when he was in the car. He didn't intend to kill Cooper, but that's what happened from his taking a known risk. He remembered during the day, but it was too late. He knew he had a track record of leaving Cooper (my speculation), and he covered his actions with the phony discovery on the way to the movies.

JMOpinion.

Has there ever been any discussion of his arrival time at work being a problem? I don't get the idea he was late for work. If he was going to be late, why would he have stopped at CFA for breakfast?

I've never heard it said anywhere that he had a problem with attendance or tardiness at work, and he obviously had lots of flexibility to come and go (lunch off site, leaving early for the movie).

 

[BrownRice]

Has there ever been any discussion of his arrival time at work being a problem? I don't get the idea he was late for work. If he was going to be late, why would he have stopped at CFA for breakfast?

I've never heard it said anywhere that he had a problem with attendance or tardiness at work, and he obviously had lots of flexibility to come and go (lunch off site, leaving early for the movie).

I think it was assumed because he left work at like 4:30 for the movies. And went to lunch.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

I'm simply stating he can't claim he was unaware of the risk. He researched it. It was his biggest fear.

Parents can be charged in cases where they knowing left a loaded gun out and accessible to a child, and the child dies.

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/03/21/parents-charged-boys-shooting-death/6720001/

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2016/3/7/319573/Mother-Of-3-Year-Old-Apison-Boy-Who.aspx

http://www.wesh.com/news/man-charged-in-girls-accidental-shooting-death-bonds-out-of-jail/38331430

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.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

I don't think Ross forgot him on the drive, I think he forgot him while at work. I think he meant to leave Cooper in the car, but just for a minute or two while he made an appearance at work. He was late for work, again, and he wanted to "check in." I think he intended to return to the car and bring Cooper to daycare, but forgot.

His ex-wife claims she is the one who searched for hot-car deaths. I think she did this because Ross had used the car as a short-term babysitter in the past, and it scared his ex-wife. She wanted to prove to him how dangerous it was.

When she found out Ross didn't drop off Cooper, I think she knew what happened - he forgot him in the car.

My gut tells me he "forgot" Cooper, but because he had done this in the past, it was a neglectant habit of his. He put his son in danger. He took a terrible risk with his child's life and that is his responsibility.

I'm tempted to lean toward a deliberate act of murder because of his immature attitude toward marriage, but my stronger hunch is that he forgot Cooper in the car while he was in the office, not when he was in the car. He didn't intend to kill Cooper, but that's what happened from his taking a known risk. He remembered during the day, but it was too late. He knew he had a track record of leaving Cooper (my speculation), and he covered his actions with the phony discovery on the way to the movies.

JMOpinion.

If she knew he'd left Cooper unattended in the car, it seems like criminal negligence on her part if she let JRH take him anywhere!

 

[MzOpinion8d]

I really think that is the most plausible scenario, in part because it explains a lot of what otherwise doesn’t make sense.

He began texting with a woman on Whisper at 8:55.19, while still in CF, or as he was leaving CF, or when he first got into his car. I’m assuming he was supposed to be at work at 9AM, which means he was already running late/cutting it close, even without the time it would take to drop Cooper off at daycare.

He didn’t forget in 30 seconds or 1 minute or 2 that Cooper was in the car. As you said, he took Cooper to work so he wouldn’t be late, intending to clock in or be seen, and go right back out to drive Cooper to daycare.

He wasn’t paying attention to people in the parking lot because he had no reason to care. He was checking his phone because his mind was on the Whisper woman (WW)—not Cooper, and not on work.

The timing of the next texts supports this scenario as well. No texts after 8:55:19 until IIRC, around 9:12. The amount of time it would have taken to get inside the building, and do whatever first things. WW sent a text, he sent a text, the texts went on until around 9:23 or so, again IIRC. Long enough to have thoughts about Cooper replaced by whatever he was thinking while texting with WW.

It makes no sense that he’d deliberately bring Cooper to work (or anywhere else, IMO) and “forget him” if it was standard daycare policy to follow up with the parents of unexcused children who were expected to be there. He’d have to be concerned that the daycare would contact LeAnne if they couldn’t reach him.

One problem for Ross is that telling the truth about what happened wouldn’t help him much, if at all, if this is what happened. He’d have to confess to LE and to LeAnne that he intentionally left Cooper in the car for no better reason that he went into work and forgot about him.

If this is what happened, then I don’t believe it’s possible he went to his car at lunchtime without realizing he’d left Cooper there, in that hot car, for hours. IMO he’d have had to realize Cooper was either dead or in critical condition. Buying and then throwing the lightbulbs in his car becomes a likely way for him to have looked at Cooper briefly, to see if he was already dead, without having to decide what to do next. He didn't tell LE about his lunch time trip to the car because neither explanation would help him--he returned to the car without realizing even then he'd left Cooper there, or that he saw Cooper and knew he was dead but did nothing.

It will be interesting (though not conclusive) to see if his text records evidence indicate whether or not he stopped texting after lunch, or if he returned from lunch and kept right on texting.

Knowing that Cooper was already dead makes sense of his call to friends that he’d be late to the movie although he had more than ample time to not only be on time but to be early. The screeching into a parking lot—staged, but also a product of adrenaline, same as his hostility to LE when they arrived.

I can believe he did cry and get very emotional at the scene before LE arrived. He didn’t do CPR because he knew Cooper had died hours before, but because I don’t believe he intended to kill his son, I can believe he felt genuine grief (in his own fashion), and this was his first opportunity to express it. Briefly, because since he had known for hours Cooper was dead he had had hours to think about what he was going to tell LE, and they were on their way.

His—“I didn’t want to imagine how he’d look “ was his way of telling LeAnne what had happened, and that he felt “remorse.” Her lack of affect then and afterwards was perhaps because she blamed herself for allowing Ross to drive Cooper again, after he’d repeatedly demonstrated negligence.

So… not malice murder, but if this scenario is accurate, I’d be on board with throwing the book at him.


ETA- even if this isn't what happened, he'd be better off IMO he told this story, rather than to insult the intelligence and sentiments of an unsympathetic jury by claiming his brain got scrambled and his son died a horrible death because he had a sexual addiction that led him to sext with 6 women while Cooper died, in severe pain, alone.

I have a feeling if the defense makes any attempt at a "sex addiction distracted me" defense, they might as well lock him up and throw away the key themselves. There's no way any jury is going to have any sympathy for him "forgetting" his child in the car because he was too sexually aroused and distracted to recall that he was supposed to take him to daycare.

 

[Inthedetails]

Has there ever been any discussion of his arrival time at work being a problem? I don't get the idea he was late for work. If he was going to be late, why would he have stopped at CFA for breakfast?

I've never heard it said anywhere that he had a problem with attendance or tardiness at work, and he obviously had lots of flexibility to come and go (lunch off site, leaving early for the movie).

It's my recollection that he was passed over for a job and one of the reasons was that he couldn't manage to get to work on time. Take it for what you will, as I'm going on memory.

He stopped for breakfast because 1) he didn't make it at home for his child and/or 2) the guy doesn't do much to correct his tardiness habit. JMO.

 

[osu]

[video=twitter;722738121498951680]https://twitter.com/wsbtv/status/722738121498951680[/video]