Trial - Ross Harris #3

[matou]

Philip A. HollowayVerified account ‏@PhilHollowayEsq 6m6 minutes ago Marietta, GA
#RossHarris #hotcardeath jury learns that the Whisper and Kik message apps were hidden under a "weather" folder

Cathy ‏@courtchatter [video=twitter;790911714627690496]https://twitter.com/courtchatter/status/790911714627690496[/video]
#RossHarris - Whisper and KIK apps under the file Weather. #hotcardeath

 

[JerseyGirl]

Stoddard also took photos of text message Harris and Leanna exchanged the morning of Cooper’s death. “Get to work ok?” Leanna texts that morning. Cooper’s name appears above the text.

Stoddard also examined Harris’ phone for applications. Boring is showing photos of Harris’ screen, showing financial apps, a map, a calculator and other apps.

Stoddard did not initially find the Whisper and Kik apps that he used to sext women. They’re actually under a separate screen that is labeled weather. They were hidden, Stoddard said.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Defense begins cross-examination of Stoddard.

Stoddard says during his more than two year investigation he has not found anyone who said Harris hated or resented his child.

. Stoddard says during his investigation he did not receive any reports of Harris abusing or neglecting Cooper.

Stoddard says Harris photo gallery on his phone shows his double life. He says next to a sleeping photo of Cooper there was an inappropriate photo of Harris.

 

[Hope4More]

Do we know of any evidence showing RH and LH were in any financial trouble?

Short answer: no. They had car loans and student loans, but that's average debt. The only other info I've heard (not verified) is RH had recently put $4k on a credit card to get frequent flier points. His brother has said they were in perfectly fine shape financially (not verified).

That the State didn't bring up financial difficulties in opening suggests there isn't any evidence it was an issue.

 

[arkansasmimi]

opcorn: Boring just said that is all he has at this time....

KILGORE ON CROSS OF STODDARD

 

[minor4th]

Here is a recent case where the jury found the mother GUILTY of criminal Negligence, in spite of Dr Diamond. But they were very lenient with her in the end:

http://blog.expertpages.com/general...-a-hot-car-uses-psychology-expert-witness.htm

Jury Convicts Texas Mother for Death of Infant Daughter Left in Hot Car

Despite emotional testimony from Wakesha Ives and analytical expert witness testimony about Forgotten Baby Syndrome by Dr. Diamond, the jury of 10 women and 4 men found the defendant guilty of criminally negligent homicide for Janay’s death. The jury acquitted Ives of the more serious charge recklessness causing serious bodily harm due to omission – which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years – suggesting that jurors put some degree of stock into the defendant’s case and her expert witness’s contributions.

Criminally negligent homicide in Texas is very different than what's being charged in the case. It does not require reckless disregard for life or inherently dangerous conduct. The maximum sentence is 2 years. And it cannot be used as the predicate felony to a felony murder charge.

IMO the Texas criminal negligent homicide statute is a good way to deal with these accidental hot car deaths or "forgotten baby syndrome." It punishes a person's failure to take necessary precautions that prevent death - which fits the Cooper's scenario if you don't believe Ross left him there intentionally.

 

[Inthedetails]

Defense begins cross-examination of Stoddard.

Stoddard says during his more than two year investigation he has not found anyone who said Harris hated or resented his child.

That doesn't mean much to me. Most parents, even ones who resent their child, actually show it....except in passive ways like sexting during meals together....

jmo

 

[Kadoober]

Stoddard is looking rather foolish right now.
He does not recall all of the details of the investigation that he was managing, and he let his bias show when questioned about whether or not there was a history of RH abusing or neglecting Cooper. He really should have just answered that no, they uncovered no evidence of prior abuse or neglect, and left it at that.

 

[matou]

June 11 photo of sleeping Cooper and photo of exposed erect penis in the same gallery on his phone.

 

[Inthedetails]

Stoddard also took photos of text message Harris and Leanna exchanged the morning of Cooper’s death. “Get to work ok?” Leanna texts that morning. Cooper’s name appears above the text.

Stoddard also examined Harris’ phone for applications. Boring is showing photos of Harris’ screen, showing financial apps, a map, a calculator and other apps.

Stoddard did not initially find the Whisper and Kik apps that he used to sext women. They’re actually under a separate screen that is labeled weather. They were hidden, Stoddard said.

His wife asking "get to work ok"....and he STILL doesn't remember Cooper? Wouldn't a question like that trigger a mental rundown of the morning in his head?

One by one, so many weird things can be explained away. But all together, it's very hard to accept he forgot and continued to forget all day long.

It's like dealing with a passive-aggressive person - you feel crazy because individual things they do are minor and can be explained, but the totality of them is, well, aggressive.

jmo

 

[Hope4More]

No need for Kilgore to work very hard at this. Stoddard is revealing his own deep animosity and bias all by his lonesome, lol.

 

[minor4th]

Thank you so much for explaining the charges. Its really helpful for us non legal minds.

Would you mind if I ask you a question. You absolutely don't have to answer. Are you a defense attorney?

I am not a defense attorney, but my husband is I am a civil trial lawyer.

 

[amymarie]

Yes. The State's position is this was intentional. The jury will naturally want to know a motive. Here is a guy who (excuse me) 'just wants to drink and bang a lot of girls'. Problem is, the guy is married and has a kid (a joker who drains his bank account). He'd like to divorce his wife but if he does so he's looking at 16 years of child support, which further drains the finances and complicates his goal of a carefree, uncomplicated life. He's miserable, cheating and texting random young girls to "hide his pain". He wants out. He doesn't want to give his ex wife 30% of his Home Depot salary in child support. He just wants to be "single".
So perhaps his way out is Cooper dies. He plays grieving dad for a few months then divoces blaming the breakup on Cooper's death. He's free.
So he takes his little boy out for a last breakfast one June day, drives directly to work, says "bye buddy", closes the door and walks away. JMO

Not only that, but then he gets to play on women's sympathy for the rest of his life by becoming an advocate for not leaving your kid in he car. 😡

 

[Maisiebelle]

I am not a defense attorney, but my husband is I am a civil trial lawyer.

Thank you Its very useful to have an attorney here to explain things.

 

[Maisiebelle]

June 11 photo of sleeping Cooper and photo of exposed erect penis in the same gallery on his phone.

ewwwww!

 

[Hope4More]

Planning a hook-up in the car on the 18th. Yeah, that's inconsistent with intent.

 

[Inthedetails]

Not only that, but then he gets to play on women's sympathy for the rest of his life by becoming an advocate for not leaving your kid in he car. ��

Yep - potential for all sorts of attention from community, church, media. Perhaps traveling around to different places to speak....and to meet the strangers he loved to hook up with.

Lovely plan.

I find it yet one more weird thing that he talks about being an advocate just hours after Cooper's death and while he was at the police station. How in the world did that idea pop into his head - sure seems like the idea had been there in advance.

Sigh. The guy is just so unlikeable. I'm glad I'm not on the jury (though if I were, I would be serious about separating my feelings about him and the facts. But, I'm not on the jury.).

jmopinion

 

[cricket49]

Ohhh Stoddard is getting angry about the Cooper picture and penis picture. He is playing to the jury.

 

[JerseyGirl]

On Det. Phil Stoddard’s third day on the stand, the defense begins its cross-examination.
Stoddard first came on the case the day of Cooper’s death.

“In that 28 months, have you located any witness to whom Ross expressed malice or hatred toward his son Cooper?” Kilgore asked.

“No sir,” Stoddard said.

“You have found lots of evidence that he was unfaithful,” Kilgore said. Yes, Stoddard replied.

Cooper spent a lot of time at Little Aprons Academy, Kilgore said, where Stoddard interviewed the workers.

They said he was a loving, caring farther, Kilgore said.

“He wasn’t a drop-and-go parent. He actually went into the room” with Cooper and spent some time with him, Kilgore said.

There was no suspicion of abuse or neglect, Kilgore said.

The defense is now preparing to cross examine Stoddard.

 

[JerseyGirl]

If there was any suspicion or history of abuse or neglect, that would be reflected in the police report? Kilgore said.

“No one reported to me any history of abuse or neglect,” Stoddard said.

Your testimony is that Harris’ activities on Whisper and Kik are evidence of abuse and neglect of Cooper, Kilgore said.

It led up to the death of Coop,” Stoddard said.

Let’s look at the objective evidence of Harris’ relationship with Cooper, Kilgore said.

Harris spent time at Little Aprons with Cooper, attending special events. He once brought his dad to the daycare to show off Cooper. Sometimes Harris would show up at the center in the middle of the day just to hang out with his son.