Ross Harris trial: Former medical examiner testifies
BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Tuesday's testimonies triggered emotion from Justin Ross Harris, who accused of murdering his toddler son by leaving him in a hot SUV while he went to work.
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Jurors heard testimony from Cobb County Medical Examiner Investigator Martin Jackson, who evaluated Cooper's body at the scene. During his examination, Jackson said he noticed abrasions throughout Cooper's body and a light green discoloration on his abdomen. The child smelled of urine and his diaper appeared to be full, Jackson said.
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Jackson told the jury that Cooper's mother Leanna was not cooperative in giving him her son's medical records, citing that she had already them to another official.
The investigation into Cooper's death included a heat study inside Harris' car and a reenactment of the scene, led by police. A life-sized doll was used during the heat study, Jackson said.
Jurors also heard from Dr. Brian Frist, the Cobb County Chief Medical Examiner who performed Cooper's autopsy.
Ross Harris wept profusely as Dr. Frist explained how Cooper likely suffered during what he described as a "slow death." Dr. Frist said it was possible that Cooper was still alive when Harris returned to his car for lunch around noon that day.
Harris continued sobbing as Dr. Frist detailed how Cooper's organs shut down as he sat in the sweltering heat. Dr. Frist told jurors that the autopsy confirmed that Cooper died of hypothermia due to someone's else actions, which he considered a homicide.
Next, prosecutors called Greg Sanders, Home Depot's global security operations manager, to the stand. Sanders told the jury he pulled the surveillance video of when Harris entered and exited his work the day Cooper died.
During the trial, defense attorneys questioned Sanders about the video that showed when Harris parked, left and returned to his vehicle. Prosecutors pointed out that, during some portions of the video, Harris could be seen looking back at his vehicle as he walked away from it.
The video also showed several people unknowingly walking near Harris' vehicle, including one person who got into a car directly parked to the right of Harris' SUV.
The state called two toxicology experts with the Georgia Bureau Of Investigation to the stand. Together, Larry Lewellen and Kasey Wilson, ruled out drugs, alcohol or carboxyhemoglobin as factors in Cooper's death.
The state's fifth and final witness of the day was Mark Wilson, the owner of a piano moving company. Wilson told the jury he and Harris met in the holding area of Cobb County jail. Wilson said Harris didn't appear to be sad as the two of them chatted for 2-3 hours at the jail.
Wilson elaborated further saying that he and Harris engaged in small talk and that Harris' behavior was not consistent with someone who had just lost a child.
Wilson, who had been arrested for a DUI, told his story about talking to Harris in jail to the National Enquirer for $2,000 upon his release from jail, he said.
Ahead of the break, the prosecution showed video of Wilson and Harris talking in the jail, in which, Harris appeared to have his arm propped up on a chair.
Monday, prosecutors used two young women to prove the Cobb County father was living a double life and was unfaithful to his wife.
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Day 7 of testimony began with a 17-year-old who was 15 years old back in May of 2014 when she met Ross Harris by posting on the anonymous app, Whisper. The minor told jurors her handle name involved actor Morgan Freeman's body parts. She told the court she met Harris after posting that she loved older guys. Monday morning, the court ruled to discontinue the live feed during her testimony
The minor told jurors she and Harris exchanged pictures of their genitals after engaging in a conversation for 21 minutes. She said she initially lied to Harris and told him she was 18-years-old, but later revealed her real age and he continued the online exchanges.
"Make me a naughty old man," the teen told jurors Harris said to her. The minor became tearful when she told jury Harris described several sexual things he wanted to do to her.
Jurors also heard from 22-year-old Jacqueline Robledo. She said she had sex with Harris when she was 19 years old in his Cobb County apartment after meeting him on the Whisper app. She described the encounter as a booty call and said the two exchanged sexual conversations on line for about a year.
In a surprise revelation, Robledo told jurors Harris said he was not happy in his marriage to Leanna. She went on to say Harris once told her he had sexual relations with a man while on vacation.
Harris, of Cobb County, is accused of intentionally leaving his 22-month-old son, Cooper, in a hot car to die.
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On Friday, the prosecution called a former prostitute to the stand, trying to prove that Harris had given up on being a family man in the weeks before his son's death.
The defense argues the child's death was an accident.
They seemed to score points Monday afternoon when Alex Hall told jurors he was the one who sent Harris the Reddit link on childfree. He told jurors exactly how Harris responded when he sent the link.
He responded, "Grossness," according to Hall.
Several witnesses told jurors Monday that Harris would often bring his guitar into work because he didn't want to leave it in the hot car.
Harris's co-worker, Brandon Moore, also took the stand. Moore, an assistant engineer at Home Depot, said he sat near Harris at work. He said that he and Harris went to lunch on several occasions and that Harris appeared to be "a little distant or stressed" in the weeks leading up to Cooper's death. Moore added that Harris never appeared to or suggested that he needed a break from his son.
Cobb County Police Detective Ralph Escamillo was the first witness called to the stand Monday morning.
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