Small Details that are interesting in the Cooper Harris case, #1

[Chewy]

the lighbulb run and subsequently having friends drop him near his car so he could put them in.

a) RH intended to discover his child in front of his friends/coworkers but chickened out or couldn't work up the right response on command to do so

b) Cooper was not quite dead and as soon as RH opened the door it was obvious was making some sort of sounds and RH aborted the discovery mission which is why he tossed the bulbs into car rather than take more time with placing them and hence discovering baby.

c) RH's friends and coworkers had already begun pulling off by the time RH could get the door open, therefore figured the discovery would not play out as he planned, therefore he tossed the bulbs so his time with car open was limited and it would be more believable that he did not see or hear or remember Cooper in the backseat.

or some combination of the above.

The thing is, they are all on phones. Even one of the witnesses stated he couldn't corroborate the details at some point because he was texting. Even if they had driven away he could have texted them or called them to come back.

 

[Karmady]

There is no description from the mother of her last moments with Cooper.

That description may have been one of her last moments/last significant memory, no? The testimony at the PCH was that she left at 7:15 while Cooper was still in bed.

 

[BrittMontero]

Hi Everyone. Longtime (since Jonbenet days) mostly lurker here.

In the account of Cooper's funeral, it was said that Leanne recited a rather bizarre litany of all the unpleasant things he would never have to experience, like the death of his parents and grandparents. Sounded odd to me then -- I could see consoling oneself with those thoughts a ways down the road but at the very funeral itself you're already reconciled? Now that we have heard part of the prosecution's case it truly sounds like someone rationalizing her actions.

Wasn't Det. Stoddard perfect? Calmly righteous and articulate. The defense had to be cringing inside.

 

[HMSHood]

Looks more like first degree premeditated murder to me. Looks like Leanna has some involvement as well. Since I like using analogs, I see shades of Scott Peterson, Diane Downs, and Casey Anthony. They saw the child getting in the way as they wanted a care free life. In Peterson's case, he killed his pregnant wife, Laci. I could also see Josh Powell.

 

[InstantProof]

The thing is, they are all on phones. Even one of the witnesses stated he couldn't corroborate the details at some point because he was texting. Even if they had driven away he could have texted them or called them to come back.

He may have had it set in his mind that to make this look authentic someone had to be there for the moment he realizes he left his kid in the car, or someone else spotted the child and brought it to his attention.

 

[Trident]

I think Cooper was dead (or very close to death and unconscious) by the time Dad threw the light bulbs (for his wife's vanity mirror) in the car.

I think he spent the rest of the afternoon planning how he would act like a grieving father until the "discovery".

His plan was obviously not that great.

If he's a psychopath, which it seems he may be, he should have looked up "how to properly grieve/how to look like a grieving father". It would have been more productive in my opinion.

 

[tlcya]

The thing is, they are all on phones. Even one of the witnesses stated he couldn't corroborate the details at some point because he was texting. Even if they had driven away he could have texted them or called them to come back.

texting them to come back would not have allowed them to witness his complete and utter shock at finding Cooper. I think InstantProof nailed it above. He needed witnesses to his discovery at the time he made it so he could put on his little abject grief show. text won't show how distraught you are. I will go one further. He tried to get to the theatre to make the discovery there in front of his lunch friends but the stench in teh car made that not workable so he had to pull in to the pizza joint and improvise in front of a crowd. Witnesses described his odd entry into the parking area, the squealing tires, the coming to a stop in the middle of the parking lot (not in a space). All contrived to draw that audience so his pulling that poor baby out and putting him on the pavement could be witnessed.

I don't think he counted on the rigor and the smell.

 

[newone]

why aren't I crying?
I guess I am in shock

LH response to her mother who is screaming at the news of her grandson's death

 

[TripleA]

texting them to come back would not have allowed them to witness his complete and utter shock at finding Cooper. I think InstantProof nailed it above. He needed witnesses to his discovery at the time he made it so he could put on his little abject grief show. text won't show how distraught you are. I will go one further. He tried to get to the theatre to make the discovery there in front of his lunch friends but the stench in teh car made that not workable so he had to pull in to the pizza joint and improvise in front of a crowd. Witnesses described his odd entry into the parking area, the squealing tires, the coming to a stop in the middle of the parking lot (not in a space). All contrived to draw that audience so his pulling that poor baby out and putting him on the pavement could be witnessed.

I don't think he counted on the rigor and the smell.

I agree with this completely. It was all about the "show" once Cooper was dead. It had to appear spontaneous and shocking.

 

[PaperDoll]

Not sure if this is a small thing or a big thing: Searching on the internet on "how to survive in prison" Who would search that that if a person isn't going to commit a crime :jail: AND, why commit the crime if you know you may end up in prison.. :banghead:

 

[newone]

'you have no proof of malice' JRH when confronting police about being charged

 

[GiGi Sleuth]

When he parked that morning and then waited approximately 30 seconds before getting out, was he talking to Cooper and reassuring him that he was just running into his office for a minute and would be right back so Cooper wouldn't be crying when the door opened? I wish they could have video of his face to see if his lips were moving .

 

[InstantProof]

texting them to come back would not have allowed them to witness his complete and utter shock at finding Cooper. I think InstantProof nailed it above. He needed witnesses to his discovery at the time he made it so he could put on his little abject grief show. text won't show how distraught you are. I will go one further. He tried to get to the theatre to make the discovery there in front of his lunch friends but the stench in teh car made that not workable so he had to pull in to the pizza joint and improvise in front of a crowd. Witnesses described his odd entry into the parking area, the squealing tires, the coming to a stop in the middle of the parking lot (not in a space). All contrived to draw that audience so his pulling that poor baby out and putting him on the pavement could be witnessed.

I don't think he counted on the rigor and the smell.

Yes, he drove as far as he could stand it. Holding his breath maybe? I think he would have rather done this in front of co-workers just because it was the way he originally saw it playing out (co-workers can also testify "he's a great guy that loved his son"). Meantime I think his wife takes the daycare text to mean that the plan didn't happen so when she gets there she says "he must have left him in the car" because she is confused and sorting it out. They hadn't planned on this happening later in the day IMO.

 

[Lovejac]

If he's a psychopath, which it seems he may be, he should have looked up "how to properly grieve/how to look like a grieving father". It would have been more productive in my opinion.

They're still searching all the electronics. It wouldn't suprise me if they find something along those lines, lol!

 

[tlcya]

STODDARD: That's correct. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, the defendant, how did he say that he first

noticed Cooper was in the car?

STODDARD: The first time the defendant noticed Cooper as he was driving down the road. He went to make a lane change and he looked to his right as he was changing lanes and that's when he noticed that Cooper was lying back there. And this was as he was driving to the movie theatre.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And did he say that he drove further or he immediately pulled over?

STODDARD: He drove a little bit further and then immediately pulled over. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1407/03/cnr.05.html

So when describing "finding out" Cooper was in vehicle at 4:20ish, he apparently made no mention of choking as witnesses described him saying at the scene.

Audience: He's choking
LEO Audience: I noticed him when I turned to the right to make a lane change

MOO Stoddard did a fabulous job of describing all those right hand turns and lane changes necessary earlier in the day as Harris went to his office rather than daycare.

 

[tlcya]

Yes, he drove as far as he could stand it. Holding his breath maybe? I think he would have rather done this in front of co-workers just because it was the way he originally saw it playing out (co-workers can also testify "he's a great guy that loved his son"). Meantime I think his wife takes the daycare text to mean that the plan didn't happen so when she gets there she says "he must have left him in the car" because she is confused and sorting it out. They hadn't planned on this happening later in the day IMO.

BBM I am not quite there yet with LH being involved in a plan but can certainly see this as possible. Still on the :fence: with LH but totally believe this was premeditated plan by RH. and maybe LH too.

 

[tlcya]

I am curious about a small detail that does not appear to have been addressed yet.

We now know that RH regularly dropped off Cooper at DC and that LH normally picked him up or that it was not unusual for LH to pick him up.

We also know that LH had employment PT (presumably outside of the home)

We were told the carseat went from front facing in her car to rear facing in his approx two weeks before Cooper died.

the small detail that is hanging out there?:

WHERE IS HER CAR AND HAS IT BEEN SEARCHED?EXAMINED TOO?

 

[Lovejac]

I'm listening to the hearing videos on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9u--A2TwZg

at 25:08 they are talking about what happens after RH puts the lightbulbs in the car and starts walking back into work. Det Stoddard is explaining RH reaction to the person he passes walking towards RH car.

Anyway, Det Stoddard says: The guys walks past the car, and then Justin gets on his phone and goes inside the Home Depot.

I wonder who he called at that time?

 

[nawd68]

When he parked that morning and then waited approximately 30 seconds before getting out, was he talking to Cooper and reassuring him that he was just running into his office for a minute and would be right back so Cooper wouldn't be crying when the door opened? I wish they could have video of his face to see if his lips were moving .

Why would Cooper be crying when the door opened?

 

[desertgal]

That's one reason to look up info on hot car deaths, to see how you can know the child is dead.

texting them to come back would not have allowed them to witness his complete and utter shock at finding Cooper. I think InstantProof nailed it above. He needed witnesses to his discovery at the time he made it so he could put on his little abject grief show. text won't show how distraught you are. I will go one further. He tried to get to the theatre to make the discovery there in front of his lunch friends but the stench in teh car made that not workable so he had to pull in to the pizza joint and improvise in front of a crowd. Witnesses described his odd entry into the parking area, the squealing tires, the coming to a stop in the middle of the parking lot (not in a space). All contrived to draw that audience so his pulling that poor baby out and putting him on the pavement could be witnessed.

I don't think he counted on the rigor and the smell.