CONVICTION OVERTURNED GA - Ross Harris Trial Appeal, hot car death of son, Cooper

[Mary456]

Jewels56 asked first -- we're waiting....

Jewel didn't ask me anything, though. She stated, "The evidence pointed to what happened and it doesn't lie." I'm just asking her what evidence she's referring to in her statement. In other words, what evidence supports her opinion that Ross Harris murdered his son.

 

[Laughing]

Everyone has their own opinion. Some of us watched the trial. The evidence pointed to what happened and it doesn't lie. imo jmo

So, @Mary456 , what evidence presented at trial was most important in forming your opinion?


JMHO YMMV LRR

 

[Mary456]

Jewels56 asked first -- we're waiting....

Jewel didn't ask me anything, though. She stated, "The evidence pointed to what happened and it doesn't lie." I'm just asking her what evidence she's referring to in her statement. In other words, what evidence supports her opinion that Ross Harris murdered his son.

So, @Mary456 , what evidence presented at trial was most important in forming your opinion?


JMHO YMMV LRR

 

[Mary456]

Ok, I don't mind going first. I believe that Ross's choice of a parking spot that morning was totally inconsistent with a plan to murder his child. Do you agree or disagree and why?

 

[Jewels53]

That is the beauty of Websleuths that we can each have our own opinion. So in that fashion I am sticking with my original statement from above. imo jmo

 

[Laughing]

In short, the evidence that convinced the jury also convinced several posters here.

Each poster does indeed have leeway in forming an opinion.

JMHO YMMV LRR

 

[ReadySet]

I'm just going to say this and that's all.

I've heard this argument over and over and over again about criminal cases:

Why did they do it that way if they wanted to kill them?
Wouldn't they have done it a smarter/different way if they wanted to kill them?
Why would they have made that dumb mistake?
That part of the plan is inconsistent with really planning to kill them.
Answer:
They have never killed anyone before so they're not very good at it.
There are a lot of parts and pieces and details to a murder plan, and they made a mistake.
They got a lot right but not everything.

So, IMO, the argument that the parking spot was inconsistent doesn't work for me.
JMO

Ok, I don't mind going first. I believe that Ross's choice of a parking spot that morning was totally inconsistent with a plan to murder his child. Do you agree or disagree and why?

 

[momrids6]

The car seat - way too small and straps way too tight- and part of it stuck out in between the 2 front seats. He just had breakfast with him. The things he said. Missed him in the car- nope. Marriage was a sham- he wasn't going to pay child support, nor let her have him. Guilty- absolutely

 

[Hippiemomof5]

If I'm misunderstanding you, I apologize, but Ross didn't back into a parking space. He pulled forward into the space. The black pen is pointing to Ross's vehicle. To the left is a small island with a tree that provided shade, off and on, until about 1 PM. To the right is another car with its driver's side facing Ross's driver's side. Eight people walked right by his car before noon that day.

Can you explain this to me? How did he not back into that space? I followed this case closely back when it was happening, this is actually the case that brought me to websleuths. But my memory isn’t fresh on the details and I’m confused about how he could pull into this space.

 

[DaisyKenny]

Can you explain this to me? How did he not back into that space? I followed this case closely back when it was happening, this is actually the case that brought me to websleuths. But my memory isn’t fresh on the details and I’m confused about how he could pull into this space.

RH backed up first and then pulled forward into that space. He also backed up when he left the Chick Fil A that morning and when he left work that afternoon.

His windows were tinted and the island and another car were on either side, so no one else was going to pull up next to his car that morning.

RH arriving at work:

 

[cocomod]

I don't believe Ross "forgot" his beautiful baby boy that morning. I believe he wanted to be done with his wife and his role as a father. He concocted this plan to try to get away with murder. This was premeditated and horrible. The prosecution presented a great case, and I believe that the jury made the right choice!

 

[Mary456]

Can you explain this to me? How did he not back into that space? I followed this case closely back when it was happening, this is actually the case that brought me to websleuths. But my memory isn’t fresh on the details and I’m confused about how he could pull into this space.

I’ll post the parking lot surveillance video and a still shot, Hippiemom. Ross pulled forward into his parking spot. On the passenger side of his car was a tree, which provided shade off and on until 1 PM. On the other side was a black car that was already parked when Ross pulled in. Their driver’s side doors faced each other.

Marker 1:10-1:12

 

[Mary456]

Looking at this photo, you can see the tree on the left and the black car on the right of Ross's Tucson.

 

[Mary456]

Looking at this photo, you can see the tree on the left and the black car on the right of Ross's Tucson.

The prosecution repeatedly referred to the short backup as "he had to back up in between two cars." The words "in between" are a gross misrepresentation of what actually occurred. Greg Sanders, a prosecution witness, testified that he only backed up to the rear quarter panel of the vehicle behind him and then pulled forward. Also, you can see from the surveillance video that there was quite a bit of space between those two vehicles as he backed up. In all probability, he used the side mirrors. There was also testimony that the car seat could not be seen in the rear view mirror.

 

[Mary456]

RH backed up first and then pulled forward into that space. He also backed up when he left the Chick Fil A that morning and when he left work that afternoon.

His windows were tinted and the island and another car were on either side, so no one else was going to pull up next to his car that morning.

RH arriving at work:

There is no video of Ross and Cooper in the Chick-fil-A parking lot, Daisy. Also, could you point me to the testimony or video showing that Ross backed out of his parking space when he left work that day? Thanks.

When Ross pulled into his parking space that morning, he pulled in beside a black car. At noon, the driver of that car entered his vehicle and drove off, probably going to lunch. He was literally within a couple feet of Cooper. This still shot is kind of fuzzy, but you can see the white figure between Ross's car and his own.

 

[momrids6]

I don't care if he did donuts in the parking lot. He didn't need to see Cooper in the rear view mirror- his feet and Ross's elbow/arm had contact most of the time, and Cooper was a chatterbox according to family. Can pretty much guarantee he swung that arm around the passenger seat and hit Cooper and the car seat when doing any backing up or looked at the seat and feet and avoided them.. And when I go to lunch- I don't take any of my precious little time looking in another car.
This is GA. He isn't going to go free no matter what. Hot car safety is huge here- kids and pets. Folks here carry a spare key if they have their dog. They leave the car running with the A/C on for the dog in a locked car when they go into a convenience store

 

[DaisyKenny]

There is no video of Ross and Cooper in the Chick-fil-A parking lot, Daisy. Also, could you point me to the testimony or video showing that Ross backed out of his parking space when he left work that day? Thanks.

When Ross pulled into his parking space that morning, he pulled in beside a black car. At noon, the driver of that car entered his vehicle and drove off, probably going to lunch. He was literally within a couple feet of Cooper. This still shot is kind of fuzzy, but you can see the white figure between Ross's car and his own.

I agree on the work parking lot pictures, it's not clear if he had to back up or not when he left. But at Chick fil A, he would have needed to back up unless he always backed into parking spots, which the work video doesn't show. People who back into spots always do so.

Here is a picture of the CFA parking lot he ate at on 2485 Cumberland Pkwy SE, Atlanta, GA 30339:

 

[Laughing]

I agree on the work parking lot pictures, it's not clear if he had to back up or not when he left. But at Chick fil A, he would have needed to back up unless he always backed into parking spots, which the work video doesn't show. People who back into spots always do so.

Here is a picture of the CFA parking lot he ate at on 2485 Cumberland Pkwy SE, Atlanta, GA 30339:

BBM

Love, love, love the image of the CFA parking lot you've shared with us. Thank you! There are no pull-through parking places. None, zero, zip, nada. If Ross parked that car and went into CFA, he backed up.

If Ross parked the car, he backed up. Either he pulled in with the transmission in Drive, and pulled out with the transmission in Reverse or he backed in with the transmission in Reverse and then departed with the transmission in Drive.

Ross Harris backed up that mid-sized SUV, with his elbow directly under his son's head.

Did it again in the parking lot at work. Video posted upthread shows that.

You sit in a mid-sized SUV. Pretend you're going to back out of a parking space. Put your right hand on the passenger seat.

Where is your elbow?

JMPO YMMV LRR LRR LRR

 

[Mary456]

The car seat - way too small and straps way too tight- and part of it stuck out in between the 2 front seats. He just had breakfast with him. The things he said. Missed him in the car- nope. Marriage was a sham- he wasn't going to pay child support, nor let her have him. Guilty- absolutely

Hi, Mom. The car seat didn't stick out in between the 2 front seats. Grimstead, a prosecution witness, measured the gap between the back edge of the car seat and the top edge of the driver's seat. It was about 3 1/2". They were on a different plane, too, of course. Here's a photo of the car seat in relation to the driver's seat. Speaking of photos, can anyone tell me how to post a regular-size photo instead of thumbnails? Sheesh, I've spent hours trying to figure this out and no luck.

 

[Mary456]

I agree on the work parking lot pictures, it's not clear if he had to back up or not when he left. But at Chick fil A, he would have needed to back up unless he always backed into parking spots, which the work video doesn't show. People who back into spots always do so.

Here is a picture of the CFA parking lot he ate at on 2485 Cumberland Pkwy SE, Atlanta, GA 30339:

There would be no reason for him to back up when he left work, Daisy, when he could have simply pulled forward into the driving lane. There was no car in front of his vehicle to block him.

Thanks for the photo of CFA. It's kind of a moot point, though. There's no video or photos of exactly where or how he parked that morning, so the jury wouldn't have (or at least shouldn't have) considered it in their deliberations.