Post Verdict - Ross Harris Trial

[Aleph]

He complained about being. too. hot. In the back of the police car. While his dead son lay on the hot pavement, in rigor mortis, with his little legs bent and in the air and his hair ripped out and scratches on his face from clawing at his skin while he slowly baked to death.

I will never be able to get past that. And then the metal toilet and small cot on top of that. And "no malicious intent".

I did not know that re the police car!


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[thefragile7393]

I believe 100% that this *can* happen accidentally. I just don't believe it was accidental in this instance.

exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

I did not know that re the police car!


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I don't have a link handy, but it is from court testimony. I was astonished.

 

[Carolina Girl]

Her you go: One of many///Hot police car...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...ed-hot-car-arrest-son-death-article-1.2818225

 

[Deleted member 182072]

She divorced him as a legal strategy to make her testimony more powerful.

If you had asked her before this happened if she thought her husband was texting a teenager and sending and receiving nude pics with said teenager, would she have believed it? No, she said so herself.

If you had asked her before this happened if she thought her husband had hired a prostitute, do you think she would have believed it? Again, no.

If you had asked her before this happened if she believed her husband would intentionally kill their child, well...she wouldn't have believed that, either. But it happened.

It's almost like she doesn't believe he intentionally sexted minors and hired prostitutes either. She just makes excuses saying he was “lost” or on a “destructive path”, like it was the devil's fault. It's extremely disturbing to think how she may have rationalized defending him on the murder charge since it wouldn't bring her son back anyway.

In the interrogation room, she was already rationalizing what he had done by comparing what happened to a child drowning in an pool. Her overriding worry then was whether Ross really wanted to stay married and have more kids with her, followed by concern for his job. She had also just sent him emails about a local hot car death and the newly launched “look again” campaign which they would have been actively discussing since it was her biggest fear and all. Is that why she felt the need to tell him over and over again that she knew he didn't? Was it the devil?

 

[gitana1]

OK, I am probably the only one on here that thinks the jury got it wrong. Now hear this: I believe Ross Harris is a low-down, cheating scoundrel, and I don't doubt he deserves to be in jail for other things, like sexting a 15 year old girl for example. But even after watching the Dateline episode, reading everything I could find about the case, seeing what you all have to say on here, and watching the 20/20 show, I still believe that it was a tragic accident. I suppose I will be lambasted from here to eternity by you guys, but I just had to say it. I think you're wrong. And that doesn't mean I don't care about that little boy. But I also don't just jump on bandwagons because of wanting someone to pay, when I think something was truly a horrific accident. I have many theories as to the various points made, but I won't waste time here listing them. You all seem to have made up your minds. What I saw in all of this were disturbing things, all of which point to him being a disgusting man... and I'll even go as far as to say he was probably especially distracted by his online behavior... but even then, it would be negligent homicide, not malice murder. I just don't think it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he did this intentionally. And the fact that his ex-wife still believes after all of it that he did not do it on purpose is really important to me. She did not "defend" him in order to stay with him, folks. She divorced him. She said she never wants to see him again. She says he ruined her life. BUT... she will NOT say that he intentionally murdered their son. Because she knows it is not true. And I may be the only one, but I believe her.

I appreciated your post until the part about being on a bandwagon against someone just to make someone pay for a terrible tragedy. That's quite dismissive and demeaning to those of us who reviewed all the evidence and used our logic and reason to come to the conclusion that this was purposeful.

Finally, if he had done something that amounted to negligence when
it came to the baby and that led to an "accident", such as paying zero attention to his son because he was paying too much attention to his sexting, that could also result in a felony murder conviction.

 

[DeDee]

Ex-wife of man convicted for son's hot-car death speaks out
Published on Feb 17, 2017

"Leanna Taylor tells ABC News why she continues to support her ex-husband, Justin Ross Harris, who was found guilty of intentionally leaving the couple's 22-month-old son to die in a hot SUV in June 2014."

[video=youtube;a4b72j0e_2s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4b72j0e_2s[/video]

 

[monkeypants]

Bleh...can't stand looking at her...how can you stand behind that creep

 

[neesaki]

Bleh...can't stand looking at her...how can you stand behind that creep

I agree, I honestly can't get passed her saying to him "did you say too much?" , not only the words but the way she said them. Something's off with her. Was she the one who planted the seed? She'd probably be better off to never utter a single word, go back and crawl under her rock. JMO

 

[katydid23]

I found it sickening that she asked if he would want to have more kids. Seriously WTF.

The baby's body was not even cold yet when she said 'hey, let's have another.' :no:

When my cat was hit by a car and died, I couldn't bring myself to get another for over 2 years. And these two were ready to replace their dead child within the hour.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

It's almost like she doesn't believe he intentionally sexted minors and hired prostitutes either. She just makes excuses saying he was “lost” or on a “destructive path”, like it was the devil's fault. It's extremely disturbing to think how she may have rationalized defending him on the murder charge since it wouldn't bring her son back anyway.

In the interrogation room, she was already rationalizing what he had done by comparing what happened to a child drowning in an pool. Her overriding worry then was whether Ross really wanted to stay married and have more kids with her, followed by concern for his job. She had also just sent him emails about a local hot car death and the newly launched “look again” campaign which they would have been actively discussing since it was her biggest fear and all. Is that why she felt the need to tell him over and over again that she knew he didn't? Was it the devil?

Your post helped me clarify exactly what it is that was bothering me about that interview room conversation. It's because neither one of them was the LEAST bit bothered by Cooper being DEAD.

They both only cared about what this meant for themselves. Ross didn't want to go to jail and sleep on an uncomfortable bed and use a metal toilet (and, be without access to his usual ways to fulfill his obsession with sex).

LeeAnna wanted, above all, to make sure she still had a husband.

I ended up watching the 20/20 special on Hulu, accidentally, because it came on due to auto play. Once it had started I decided to watch. I admit there were some times when LeeAnna did display what appeared to be genuine emotion about the loss of her son. When I listened to her describing how she sat outside her home that night, afraid to go in because it was going to make everything "real", that sounded genuine and understandable to me. But when she spoke about how she finally went in, and ended up laying down in Cooper's bed crying, I wonder whether she was crying about Cooper being gone or because Ross didn't come home with her.

There is a part of me that feels sorry for her, because Ross was mistreating her, even being emotionally abusive to her, with his emotional involvement with other women - and she didn't even know but maybe 10% of what he was actually doing. She thought it was some *advertiser censored* and texting a couple of women.

But then there's also a part of me that is disgusted by her willingness to forgive his actions over and over again, because he KNEW she would forgive him for killing Cooper, too, because she'd forgiven everything else.

I think if he had gotten away with killing Cooper it's highly likely LeeAnna would have had a "tragic accident" or "committed suicide", leaving Ross a single, tragic figure worthy of so much sympathy for the loss of his child and wife.

I think the reason he didn't erase those apps on his phone is because he was convinced everyone would believe it was an accident and his phone wouldn't be looked at closely, if at all.

 

[Aleph]

LeeAnna wanted, above all, to make sure she still had a husband.

RSBM

I agree with your whole post but I have to say, after experiencing the kind of sudden and shocking loss that she did, this was a pretty understandable reaction just hours after the crime.

 

[DeDee]

I am not sure why Cooper's mother believes his death was an accident and that his father definitely did not plan his death. She needs to remove the rose colored glasses.

It would be difficult for most mothers to admit their husband intentionally murdered their child. A shield of self-preservation for protection must intercede.

One Saturday RH helped his co-worker buddy move, then went to visit his prostitute, who claimed he was unkempt. He was sweaty from moving furniture to and fro. And he kept texting his wife that he'd be home soon. Finally, he was at the market picking up items for dinner. She knew. He was not fooling her. Even though she wore rose colored glasses; the betrayal destroyed her self esteem. And he had been doing that for a long period of time making her even more clingy. Note how Cooper's funeral centered on RH being wrongfully imprisoned rather than on her beloved child's loss of life.

I was suspicious of her in the beginning as being a co-conspirator but being a seed planter works, too.

 

[monkeypants]

RSBM

I agree with your whole post but I have to say, after experiencing the kind of sudden and shocking loss that she did, this was a pretty understandable reaction just hours after the crime.

Honestly I can see HIM having that reaction of hoping he still has a wife, but not her worrying about him. Sorry...no words will EVER change my mind.

Those 5 words forever changed how I saw her.......
Did.you.say.too.much.

Period.

 

[neesaki]

It's almost like she doesn't believe he intentionally sexted minors and hired prostitutes either. She just makes excuses saying he was “lost” or on a “destructive path”, like it was the devil's fault. It's extremely disturbing to think how she may have rationalized defending him on the murder charge since it wouldn't bring her son back anyway.

In the interrogation room, she was already rationalizing what he had done by comparing what happened to a child drowning in an pool. Her overriding worry then was whether Ross really wanted to stay married and have more kids with her, followed by concern for his job. She had also just sent him emails about a local hot car death and the newly launched “look again” campaign which they would have been actively discussing since it was her biggest fear and all. Is that why she felt the need to tell him over and over again that she knew he didn't? Was it the devil?

Yes, those emails. Was she also talking about it frequently, "reminding" him about hot car deaths. Was it her fear of hot car deaths, or was it a manipulation, planting the seed using the power of suggestion... almost on a Subliminal level? Thus her revealing statements about "oh, he must have left him in the car"... (I'm not imagining that am I?) and her "did you say too much?" in that 'oh you poor baby, mommy's here' tone of voice. :sick: And you're all so right, not crying or grieving about losing her child, instead just keeping RH where she wants him by pandering to him.

I cant help but suspect this very thing.... If so it makes this woman much more cold, callous, devious, and evil than anyone could have imagined. And it means she wanted rid of Cooper just as much or more than RH , she was just smart enough not to have herself doing the dirty work, and cunning and manipulative enough to get RH to do it, and to believe it was actually his own idea. Scary, scary, but people like this do exist. IMO.

 

[Deleted member 182072]

I appreciated your post until the part about being on a bandwagon against someone just to make someone pay for a terrible tragedy. That's quite dismissive and demeaning to those of us who reviewed all the evidence and used our logic and reason to come to the conclusion that this was purposeful.

Finally, if he had done something that amounted to negligence when
it came to the baby and that led to an "accident", such as paying zero attention to his son because he was paying too much attention to his sexting, that could also result in a felony murder conviction.

There was literally a mountain of evidence in this case, all of it pointing to the same circumstance. That is the reason Harris is the ONLY parent who has ever been convicted of malice or intentional murder for a hot car death. There was a case where a mother (Mollie Shouse) was convicted of wanton murder for extreme recklessness but even that conviction was overturned.

This case was about justice and protecting children:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/25/parents-who-kill-custody-battle/13721487/#

“Annually about 450 children are intentionally murdered by a parent.
More than three decades of FBI homicide data shows patterns stand out when parents kill their children: Three out of four child victims are younger than 5. In 56% of all cases, fathers are the killers...Many of the incidents involve parents who are divorcing”


Ross Harris murdered Cooper because he wanted to be free of his marriage without any responsibilities for his son. Murders happen far too often because of disputes over child support, etc. If a case with this much evidence hadn't been prosecuted and resulted in a murder conviction, it is horrifying to think how other parents wanting to be free of their responsibilities might also be inspired to have an “accident.”

 

[Deleted member 182072]

Yes, those emails. Was she also talking about it frequently, "reminding" him about hot car deaths. Was it her fear of hot car deaths, or was it a manipulation, planting the seed using the power of suggestion... almost on a Subliminal level? Thus her revealing statements about "oh, he must have left him in the car"... (I'm not imagining that am I?) and her "did you say too much?" in that 'oh you poor baby, mommy's here' tone of voice. :sick: And you're all so right, not crying or grieving about losing her child, instead just keeping RH where she wants him by pandering to him.

I cant help but suspect this very thing.... If so it makes this woman much more cold, callous, devious, and evil than anyone could have imagined. And it means she wanted rid of Cooper just as much or more than RH , she was just smart enough not to have herself doing the dirty work, and cunning and manipulative enough to get RH to do it, and to believe it was actually his own idea. Scary, scary, but people like this do exist. IMO.

Personally, I believe she knew what Ross was capable of and that he was more important to her than her son. That would also explain why she seems so suspicious, because she is covering for him. Sadly, we have all probably seen many other cases where a “mother” has stood by her man when atrocities have been committed against her child. She seems to be like one of those complicit women, lacking in self-esteem and intelligence. She might have been okay with Ross murdering Cooper and sexting minors but having sex with men and prostitutes was where he really crossed the line, leaving her “humiliated.”

But there just isn't a motive for her involvement in the murder of her beautiful, healthy child, a child that she already had difficulty conceiving. Ross wanted out of the marriage without any responsibilities but Leanna wanted to stay married and have more kids.

 

[MrX]

Those 5 words forever changed how I saw her.......
Did.you.say.too.much.

Period.

Perhaps you've never met anyone with a personality disorder. My wife is CONSTANTLY on my back about what she's afraid I'm going to say. Nothing sinister - it's just like every auto insurance card starts with "...in the event of an accident, say nothing."

 

[monkeypants]

Perhaps you've never met anyone with a personality disorder. My wife is CONSTANTLY on my back about what she's afraid I'm going to say. Nothing sinister - it's just like every auto insurance card starts with "...in the event of an accident, say nothing."

Surely you jest.

 

[blue22]

OK, I am probably the only one on here that thinks the jury got it wrong. Now hear this: I believe Ross Harris is a low-down, cheating scoundrel, and I don't doubt he deserves to be in jail for other things, like sexting a 15 year old girl for example. But even after watching the Dateline episode, reading everything I could find about the case, seeing what you all have to say on here, and watching the 20/20 show, I still believe that it was a tragic accident. I suppose I will be lambasted from here to eternity by you guys, but I just had to say it. I think you're wrong. And that doesn't mean I don't care about that little boy. But I also don't just jump on bandwagons because of wanting someone to pay, when I think something was truly a horrific accident. I have many theories as to the various points made, but I won't waste time here listing them. You all seem to have made up your minds. What I saw in all of this were disturbing things, all of which point to him being a disgusting man... and I'll even go as far as to say he was probably especially distracted by his online behavior... but even then, it would be negligent homicide, not malice murder. I just don't think it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he did this intentionally. And the fact that his ex-wife still believes after all of it that he did not do it on purpose is really important to me. She did not "defend" him in order to stay with him, folks. She divorced him. She said she never wants to see him again. She says he ruined her life. BUT... she will NOT say that he intentionally murdered their son. Because she knows it is not true. And I may be the only one, but I believe her.

Out of sheer curiosity, do you feel a jury of his selected peers also jumped on the bandwagon?