On Friday afternoon, the defense filed a motion for a change of venue, hoping to move the Justin Ross Harris trial out of Cobb County. Jury selection has stretched on for three weeks now, and has proven to be a difficult task because most of the jurors are familiar with the highly publicized case. Some of the potential jurors have even made up their minds as to the defendant’s guilty before the trial even begins.
Harris told investigators that he forgot his 22-month old son, Cooper, when he went to work. Cooper died while strapped inside the hot car in June of 2014. Prosecutors believe he left the child in the car intentionally, and Ross is now facing murder charges.
Judge Mary Staley said she has received a motion for change of venue in Hot Car Death Trial. Will be argued on Monday. @cbs46 #CBS46JRH
— Vince sims (@SimsCBS46) April 29, 2016
All jurors sent home b/c of the change of venue motion by defense. Court dismissed. @HarrisTrialFOX5 #fox5atl pic.twitter.com/sYPSZMlDvf
— Aungelique Proctor (@aungeliquefox5) April 29, 2016
The judge plans to take up the motion for change of venue Monday morning. The trial was expected to begin early next week, but may be delayed due to this motion.
LawNewz.com has a crew in the Cobb County, Georgia and will be livestreaming the trial.
[screengrab via WSB-TV]