Trial - Ross Harris #9

[GA_Peach]

I know what you are saying, but he is not that kind of a speaker. He is a simple, casual kind of guy, imo. :moo:

I think he got to the basic simple facts of the case and did so in a way the jury could easily understand.

I just don't connect with CB and his speaking style in any manner. I was hoping for so much more.

The only part that I found somewhat compelling about the State's closing statement was the fact that pictures of Cooper practically stopped after their May beach trip. It seemed as if Cooper was being removed from their lives before June 18.

 

[DeDee]

Kilgore informed the jury to keep in mind that charges 1, 2 and 3 are for murder. Murder is murder is murder in the State of Ga. I want you to consider that fact when deciding his fate.


When deciding his fate? Shouldn't that be deciding his guilt?

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kilgore's closing continued:

Kilgore is sharply critical of the police testimony that Harris did not show sufficient emotion, or that the emotion he did show was faked.

"If he's putting on some kind of show for somebody, why's he doing it alone? Why's he doing it in the room after they closed the door?"

"Mr. Boring told you in opening and today that the only thing to consider here is malice. ... You've heard the interview. You've followed along on the transcripts. And what Ross said to the detectives over and over again was this was an accident. ... If it's an accident, it's not a crime."

 

[minor4th]

These examples Kilgore is giving of criminal negligence are from actual Georgia cases where the State Supreme Court has ruled on the issue of criminal negligence. FYI

 

[MzOpinion8d]

Kilgore - they've only focused on malice murder the entire trial. Yep.

That was kinda the whole point of the trial, wasn't it? All the other charges are a given.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kilgore is trying to say that Ross "forgot" when he left the CFA.

If he forgot, why didn't he take the stand and say that!

Oh, and he FORGOT Cooper int he car!

Why didn't he take the stand and say this!!!!!!

 

[MzOpinion8d]

Kilgore's closing continued:

Kilgore is sharply critical of the police testimony that Harris did not show sufficient emotion, or that the emotion he did show was faked.

"If he's putting on some kind of show for somebody, why's he doing it alone? Why's he doing it in the room after they closed the door?"

"Mr. Boring told you in opening and today that the only thing to consider here is malice. ... You've heard the interview. You've followed along on the transcripts. And what Ross said to the detectives over and over again was this was an accident. ... If it's an accident, it's not a crime."

He was putting on his show knowing there were cameras rolling!!

 

[Hope4More]

I just don't connect with CB and his speaking style in any manner. I was hoping for so much more.

The only part that I found somewhat compelling about the State's closing statement was the fact that pictures of Cooper practically stopped after their May beach trip. It seemed as if Cooper was being removed from their lives before June 18.

Or maybe there was just a lot going on.

 

[katydid23]

'You don't anticipate that you are going to forget..."


Ummm...unless it is your biggest fear and you already know about hot car deaths....

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kilgore closing continued:

Defense attorney Kilgore continues: "He failed. He left him in that car. ... He is responsible. Only him. Nobody else. And he has acknowledged that from Day One. He is responsible. But responsible is not the same thing as criminal. It is not. The state has not disproven that this was an accident. It is their burden to do so. And there is a reason they can't disprove beyond a reasonable doubt that this was an accident, and that's because it was."

Murder is murder is murder. Whether he's convicted of count one, two or three, they're all the same in Georgia. You need to know that when you consider his fate. Each count is just a different theory of murder. And the state's entitled to do that. ... But we spent 21 days of them charging down one track or another.

This entire trial has been about count one: malice. He meant to do it, he intended to do it. That's been their case. That has been what they've tried to sell you throughout this entire trial.

I think it's become very clear that Ross treasured Cooper and had no reason -- no reason -- no reason to kill him. Count 2, felony murder would be that Ross meant to cause Cooper excessive physical pain... and Cooper died as a result of that. There is absolutely no evidence of that.

Count 3, that Ross acted with criminal negligence in committing cruelty to children and Cooper died as a result of that. ... You really need to understand, this is a legal phrase with a legal definition. It is not the same as simple negligence. It's not the same as being careless.

 

[matou]

Kilgore: "He's clueless"

 

[Hope4More]

That was kinda the whole point of the trial, wasn't it? All the other charges are a given.

Um. No. They are not.

 

[katydid23]

He is clueless. kilgore and I can agree on that..

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kilgore: "He's clueless"

Kilgore is clueless.

 

[matou]

"Ross ruined her life, he took her son away."

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kilgore closing continued:

Kilgore: "Ross forgot. He didn't choose to forget. He just forgot. And it doesn't matter what he's thinking about. Sports. ... Work. Sex. Whatever. Why? Because you don't anticipate that you're going to forget. That's not how it works. And when he got out of the car with Cooper at the Treehouse (Home Depot's office building, where Harris worked in IT), he'd forgotten him. He'd already forgotten him. ... Without that knowledge ... if he didn't have absolute knowledge that Cooper was there, it can't be criminal negligence. He had to have that knowledge. But he forgot."

 

[minor4th]

Just actually listen to Kilgore and you'll find that what he is saying makes more sense than a wild leap of deliberate murder.

 

[just the facts pls]

JRH was anything but clueless, though.

How many reminders did he get about hot car deaths? How many times did he watch the video five days before Cooper's death?

Answer to both: Twice.

How many times did LH and JRH talk about hot car deaths? By her admission they discussed it "lots of time" because it was their "greatest fear."

Not exactly the behavior of someone clueless or without any idea that leaving one's kid in the car would result in anything but death.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kilgore closing continued:

"Every single witness we heard from in the trial who had any knowledge of the relationship between Ross and Cooper -- everyone testified that he was a loving and proud father. .... Do you think his ex-wife and her best friend would come in here and testified if they had any doubt. ...

"Ross ruined that women's life. He humiliated her in front of the world. He took her son away. You really think she's going to come in here, and her best friend is going to come in here, and say anything about how much Ross loved his little boy, if they didn't know that this was an accident? Think about that."

 

[matou]

Did Leanna tell Ross to pick up bulbs?