As the hot car death trial entered into day 3, the jurors viewed the gruesome crime scene pictures of 22-month old Cooper who was found dead inside an SUV. The boy’s father, Justin Ross Harris, is facing eight charges, including malice murder, felony murder and child cruelty. He is also facing charges for allegedly sexting underage girls on the day his son was left to die in the parking lot of the Home Depot Corporate Headquarters in Cobb County, Georgia.
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Several jurors refused to look at the photos which showed the body of Cooper Harris. Prosecutors say that Harris intentionally left the little boy in a car to die in June 2014.
Day 3, Part 1: Crime Scene Technician
“The pictures showed the toddler’s body in a state of rigor mortis, his knees slightly bent, arms to his side. It was as if he was still sitting in the car seat that his father had strapped him into some seven hours earlier,” Christian Boone and Bill Rankin from The Atlanta Journal Constitution recall.
In addition, prosecutors also called Artiyka Eastland, a witness at the scene, to the stand.
“I saw the dad. I saw him kind of just put his hands on his hair and kept saying what had he done. He kind of walked off and that was it,” Eastland said.
Next, prosecutors called Ashleigh Womack, who also was at the scene of the Akers Mall in Cobb County, Georgia shortly after Justin Ross Harris found Cooper in the back of his car. Womack testified that Harris’s behavior struck her as strange and erratic.
Day 3, Part II, Witness testimony from Artika Eastland, Ashley Woman and Dale Hamilton
“I thought it was odd that a parent wouldn’t be on the ground with their child. I imagine I would be on the ground doing everything I can to put life back into my child,” Harris said. She testified that Harris was on his cell phone when all of this was happening.
Prosecutors also called Dale Hamilton, a loan officer, to the stand. He also witnessed what happened at the Akers Mall parking lot.
“He was distraught,” Hamilton said, adding that everyone grieves differently.
Day 3, Part III, Testimony from Office Lindsey Foglia, Officer Brett Gallimore and defense’s motion for a mistrial.
The day ended with testimony from Officer Brett Gallimore from the Cobb County Police Department. Gallimore said that Justin Ross Harris was “acting” hysterical and distraught when he arrived at the scene. Harris apparently told Gallimore to “Shut the fuck up.” Gallimore responded to “shut his fucking mouth.” Defense Attorney Maddox Kilgore took issue with Gallimore’s testimony and attempted to show it was inconsistent with his original police report.
The defense attorney made a last minute attempt at the end of the day to get a mistrial. The judge denied his motion. Court was canceled for the rest of the week due to the oncoming hurricane. Court will resume on Monday. We will continue our LIVE trial coverage and analysis on our Facebook page.
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