Week 1

This is going to be a long-ass trial. I was going to touch on some highlights at the end of the week, but there are way too many. Plus, today was the last day of court this week. The judge asked the County Sheriff to come in and give an update on Hurricane Matthew and she dismissed court until Monday.

There have been a lot of witnesses so far and steady, continuous testimony. Hardly any objections and only two sidebars in two and a half days.

So a few things have stood out to me. After Harris took his son out of the car-seat, he placed him outside the door of his car onto the hot asphalt and then started walking around to the other side of his car yelling and on his phone. He never went back to see about his son. His conduct at the scene, alone, is going to do him in. And I am watching this with an open mind.



Two workers putting lighting on trees at a restaurant across the street were the first to run over. One of the men tried to do CPR, but after two sessions he looked at his co-worker and they both shook their head. He did continue to do CPR until the police arrived which was about two minutes.

This is the man. He left immediately after the police arrived and went home because he was so upset. He was later contacted by police after his co-worker, who stayed and gave a report on site, gave them his contact information.

He was so distraught during his testimony he barely got through it. The camera kept showing Harris at the defense table who had no emotion whatsoever while this guy was bawling his eyes out.



The longest delay was today when the defense (during cross) wanted to enter a police officer's written report into evidence to impeach him. It was objected. Defense atty cited a rule, the prosecutor pointed out the rule was not relevant, the judge agreed and sustained the objection.

After the officer's testimony and end of day, there was a proffer and the defense attorney read the entire dang rule, said he was not afforded the right to defend Harris during cross and asked for a mistrial. The prosecutor read a portion of the code that excluded what the defense was trying to do and cited a case for the judge. The judge agreed it was not grounds for a mistrial and denied the motion.

The camera kept showing Harris at the defense table who had no emotion whatsoever while this guy was bawling his eyes out.

12 out of 12 jurors have likely have already found Harris guilty.

Objection sustained. Good news for the prosecutor and bad news for the defense as to the courts reading of the law.


Thanks Molly!

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

I forgot to mention, the female officer who handcuffed and put Harris in her patrol car (he was being uncooperative with 3 officers) and moved the car away from the scene testified:

With wearing 30 lbs of equipment plus a bulletproof vest, she keeps her car a/c on high, and keeps her car running all day even on breaks. When she went back to check on Harris and get additional info, his first concern was that the patrol car was too hot and asked her to turn up the a/c. This was only minutes after he laid his little boy on the hot asphalt pavement.

Hi Carm.

Hi Molly

The more I hear the more I hope they hang Harris by his balls from the rafters and let cannibals use him as a piñata.

I think I have met my threshold for trying to be delicate today when monsters of humanity are involved What a fucking pig.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Thanks for updates Molly!

_________________
The most fundamental and major decision that you have to make in your life is this: Do I live in a friendly or a hostile universe? Which is it?

You're welcome, WKC. There has been so much testified to in only a few days. With an open mind, I think he's still innocent, he could have forgotten. BUT I do think that there is going to be some evidence to show otherwise. Seems like I read Harris went to his car at lunchtime. I don't know if he opened the door and got in. Baby Cooper's diaper was soaked with urine and whatever when he was discovered.

AND the "sexting" activities is going to be a whole 'nuther eyeopener.

The trial did not start back up today because of hurricane damage. Court will reconvene Wednesday at 9:00AM.

Ross Harris Trial Day 4 Jury Assessment After
Hurricane Matthew 10/11/16

I was going to do an end of the week summary tomorrow, but realize I didn't do one last week.

This trial is UNREAL. The judge is the fairest and most pleasant judge I have watched in a long time. So no problems there. The defense team is amazing, but I can't stand them. They take twice as long in their cross than the State takes in their direct. They ask the same questions (as the State) but in a different way and write down every damn answer on a note pad, even though the court reporter is two feet away, officially recording every syllable being said.

The State is excellent, but after 11 days of dozens of witnesses, I don't think they have proven their case. I still think it was an accident at this point. Harris had marital problems and was in his prime. A prostitute has testified, lots of young women he was sexting with or had sex with, even a male (hasn't testified) but nothing to point to wanting to kill his son THAT day.

If he is found guilty, I think his ex-wife (she hasn't testified) should have been investigated as well. She had suspicious behavior, imo. She immediately retained an attorney. The next day she would not give medical history of little Cooper to the ME over the phone. They had to get a subpoena and obtain it from his Pediatrician.

Reminder - daily summaries, photos and a few videos at this link
http://www.11alive.com/ross-harris-trial

The jury viewed the SUV on Friday and there was a lengthy argument and Motion for Mistrial. This took up most of the morning. First time in the trial the calm, sweet tea drinking, southern speaking Judge got angry - and it was directed towards the Defense.

The State rested in the afternoon. The Defense called Harris' real estate agent to show Harris was looking for a house near the best schools. But that was back in February, 2014. Their second witness was a detective in charge of the case - second in command, who the State did not call (the primary detective testified for four days). After a long proffer, he testified but it was a flop for the Defense.

Today the Defense called Leanne Taylor, Harris' ex-wife (Cooper's mother) and she mostly testified what a wonderful husband & father Harris was. In cross by the State, she defended Harris, was argumentative and couldn't remember a lot. I feel the same way many trial watchers do - it was weird testimony and she "pretended" that she still doesn't know much about Harris' texts and personal contacts with the other women.

See... you simply cannot make this stuff up.

/me shakes head

THANKS FOR THE UPDATES MOLLY!

_________________
The most fundamental and major decision that you have to make in your life is this: Do I live in a friendly or a hostile universe? Which is it?

I did a long update yesterday on last week happenings and must have clicked out of thread before posting.
Defense rested Thursday
Ross Harris waived his right to testify
Friday, State called one rebuttal witness, a detective who was the first LEO to talk to Leanne Taylor (ex-wife)

Ross Harris Trial - Defense rests, Harris waives right to testify11/04/16

Verdict Watch

The instructions and charges were read, all jurors were sworn in.
The Judge is sending the jury home for the day. She is giving them time tomorrow morning to vote.
Deliberations will begin tomorrow after lunch.

Charges

Count 1 - Malice Murder

Count 2 - Felony Murder - Felony is count 4

Count 3 - Felony Murder - Felony is count 5

Count 4 - Cruelty to Children in the First Degree - "..maliciously caused Cooper Harris cruel and excessive physical pain"

Count 5 - Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree - "..with criminal negligence caused Cooper Harris cruel and excessive physical pain"

(Counts 6-8 relate to sexting with a minor)

Count 6 - Criminal Attempt to Commit a Felony - "..the accused did request that a minor female...provide a photograph and visual medium involving a lewd exhibition of her genital and pubic area..."

Count 7 - Dissemination of Pornography to Minors - "..accused did knowingly disseminate and furnish a minor female printed matter containing explicit and detailed verbal descriptions and narrative accounts of sexual excitement and sexual conduct..."

Count 8 - Dissemination of Pornography to Minors - "..accused person did knowingly disseminate and furnish to a minor female a photograph and visual image of a portion of the human body which depicted sexually explicit nudity, to wit: a photograph and visual image of uncovered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.."

Official Grand Jury General Bill of Indictment
http://media.wix.com/ugd/943520_f0ffb47a769c44c7807c94428c7a94d1.pdf

Great work, Molly

You deserve a pay rise, or a bonus or something?

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I hate to empty quote but Rumpole says it all.

_________________
The most fundamental and major decision that you have to make in your life is this: Do I live in a friendly or a hostile universe? Which is it?

Thanks Molly. I see the jury is out for the weekend.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Yes, and I gasped around 4:00 today, realizing I had not checked on it. Since courts are closed tomorrow for the holiday they won't be back until Monday. They started on Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday was the full day of deliberations and they watched a lot of video of Harris being interviewed at the police station and when Harris/ex-wife were alone talking. Have no idea what happened today, if there were any questions, etc.

I haven't watched the ex-wife testimony yet, I think it was two days. Anxious to do that this weekend.

GUILTY on all 8 counts

Sentencing will be in Cobb County on Monday, December 5th at 1:30PM ET.

Ross Harris Trial Verdict 11/14/16

Thanks, Molly

I did not follow the trial at all, so I have to accept the verdict, but.....
My initial impressions were that he was a just grossly negligent dope

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Yes, at first I was thinking along that line also. But there were way too many minor details that he said or did -- or didn't say or do, that all added up and the prosecution did an excellent tying it together at closing, along with the overwhelming evidence. He didn't have a strong defense team imo.

Bad news is the judge was very bias with the prosecution in my opinion (others have agreed) and I am most certain we will see another trial on appeal. I hope I am wrong.

JUSTICE FOR COOPER

Glad to hear it. Thank you Molly. See my prediction October 06, on that alone I believe that Harris had bad counsel. That said I still think he maliciously killed that little boy.

_________________
If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji