Justin Ross Harris, who may have deliberately left his 22 month old son to die in a hot car was indicted by a grand jury today in a Cobb County courtroom on eight charges. Harris will be tried for malice murder, two counts of felony murder, cruelty to children in the 1st and 2nd degree, criminal attempt to commit a felony and two counts of dissemination of harmful material to minors.
According to the Bill of Indictment, the reason for the two felony murder charges has to do with the cruelty to children charges, one is for first degree cruelty to children and the second is for second degree cruelty to children charges. The two charges of dissemination of harmful material to minors results from the fact that Harris was sexting multiple women from work at the time his child was dying in the parking lot of his office. One of the sexting partners was underage. One count is for the sexual content of the conversation and the other was for sending her a dick pic.
The local Atlanta CBS46 affiliate reports:
The district attorney also said that it was unclear whether or not the investigation would lead to someone else.
“The evidence in this case has led us to this point today,” Reynolds said. “Whether or not it leads us to anyone else remains to be answered.”
In response, the attorney for Harris’ wife, who has not been charged, sent CBS46 the following statement:
“I am surprised that the District Attorney is still contemplating after almost three months of reviewing the evidence whether or not to charge my client, if that is who he was referring to in his press conference. By now, I would think they would have been able to make a final decision and clear her from any wrongdoing.”
A decision on whether the death penalty will be pursued is expected to occur before the arraignment which will be scheduled within three weeks.
Should Harris get the death penalty? Do you think the wife will be charged?
I am so happy to hear this. Scumbag. I hope they get the wife as well. Add far as death penalty goes, I’d rather see him thrown into general population in prison for life. They won’t take to him kindly to say the least.
they need to charge his wife as well, they are nasty humans! they both need life, and keep them in general population. they will be torn apart!
Heartbreaking. Sickening. There is no punishment that fits this crime. He deserves the death penalty.
Well said! And let the punishment fit the crime! When is the next hot day????
This is great news, thanks Tamara! This guy needs to go be someone’s prison bitch for life. I think they’re making the wife sweat. With her statement to the child care worker, she had to know what was happening.
I sincerely hope that when this scumbag dies, and is sent to Hell, he is forced to spend eternity strapped to a chair in the blazing heat.
Amen!
he needs life with no parole. that way he gets to remember what that car must have smelled like. if not decomp just hot nasty diaper, no way he didnt smell that before leaving tbe parking lot
Please don’t let the wife get away with this. From what I have read, which admittedly is limited, the wife must have had some knowledge. Enough to be culpable? Let a jury decide.
We don’t have the death penalty in Australia, so I’m not a great supporter of it.
Personally I think he should be strapped in a car in Death Valley and left for dead. Let the punishment fit the crime ! He better hope he gets the death penalty becuz even fellow prisoners dont look to kindly to child molesters or baby killers!
Said the same thing above.
Lock him up in general population and throw away the key. Death penalty would be the easy way out. She should be charged too. Too bad we cant stick him in the desert and let him die a slow death.
He probably wanted to leave her for a side chick or one of his sexting buddies and get rid of the child so he didnt have to pay child support. That incident seemed premeditated and that is the only reason that I can think of.
Well that and the $27,000 life insurance he had on the child. POS.
i think the mom knew what was going to happen but it will be hard to prove the murder charge on her. her statements at daycare is hearsay so wont get into court, if ross left the baby in the car before that gives her a reason foor computer searches. if he left him in the car before most i see her getting is child endangerment.
It seems pretty clear that Harris was aware of what he was doing. I can’t wrap my mind around why he didn’t just use safe haven and drop his child off with a police officer or firefighter, if he so badly wanted to be “free.” I hope at the very least he gets life. Clearly this man is dangerous, and a sexual predator.
I am going to get hate mail for this, and probably be blocked, but I am going to say my peace and be done with this. For all of those who think that they will or could never do anything like this. Please think again. No one is perfect and if you think judging this man will make you seem so then go ahead and do it because nothing will bring this child back to his parents. If you want to condemn this man to hell trust me is is already living it. There are two things you can not be in prison. A pedophile and a cop. This man is accused, and please believe that being accused is just as bad as being convicted because if he gets off he will still live with the fact that people think he killed his child on purpose, of killing a son he says he loves. We as the public dont know what the circumstances were in him leaving his child in the car. And for all of those who say he should die because he was texting and driving and forgot his kid or because he was having dirty talk with a few women. Look at yourself. How many of you can say you have never sexted a person? Someone you were dating or your partner at the time. How many of us can say that they have never sent a picture of our dicks or lady bits to someone. If you can I am proud of you. If you cant then you have no opinion on what this man was doing. Little information. I forgot my three month old daughter in the car once. It was 20 degrees outside, we lived in Illinois at the time, and I was unloading all my shopping bags into the truck. I locked my kid, keys and purse in the car. Mind you the car was running and the heat was on but my mind was in getting away from the mall because I was tired and ready to go home after having a outing with my kid. This a story I tell people when they talk about this because I forgot my kid in weather which could have killed her like the heat killed this baby. Do I think he should get the death penalty? I cant say because I am not his judge, jury or executoner. Do I think he should be tried for leaving the kid in the car? Maybe but like all of us we dont know the facts we are just going by what is reported and not all the reporters know all the facts. Does any of this bring Cooper back to his parents? No but I am a firm believer in Fate, Karma, Jesus and a lot of other spirtual things and choose to believe that what happened to Cooper justice will be served. And no offense but our justice system, if you have a quite decent lawyer, does not always provide justice for the person who was wronged.
Clearly you are not aware of any of the facts of this case. You keep saying we don’t know all the facts. We know enough of the facts that were presented to know they are considering the death penalty. There are plenty of facts that indicate premeditation, internet searches, the wife’s immediate presumption that the kid was left in the car to die, the fact that he went back to the car post mortem and at that point the car stank to high heaven. The fact that police on the scene described the stench but dear old loving dad got in the car like nothing was going on and drove off the lot.
Do you really think most people send dick pictures to minors and adult women at work? That could be the most disturbing thing out of everything you wrote.
On Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 9:55 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Brava, Tamara! Pursuant to your point about Ele’s perverse presumption, she may count me as one among the vast majority of American males, who has never sexted or sent a dicpic to anyone.
It is disturbing that Ele thinks as she does, and then attempted to preach to readers in sympathy of an indicted cold blooded, child killing, sexual predator. It also is extremely offensive to me, personally, as a man of faith, that she named Jesus, the King of kings, my Lord and Savior, a “spiritual thing” and a peer to fate and karma.
Thank you, TT!
I am also one of those “rare people” who have never sexted or sent pics of my “lady parts” to anyone. And when I moved up here from Florida, I wouldn’t even leave my CAT alone in the car.
These people had a choice. Just like I did. I did not want kids, so I had surgery to make myself sterile. You can prevent having unwanted children….BUT–once they are HERE, parents have a legal and moral responsibility to give them the best life possible.
Cooper wasn’t the only child to die in a hot car. Right after Cooper’s death, there were a string of copycat killings. If Harris had not killed Cooper, would those other parents have left their kids in a hot car?
I stand by my previous comment. I have no pity for these “parents”. None.
I’ve never sexted either, and I don’t have a dick, but I have never sent any pics of what I do have.
Oh, I was cracking my knuckles, getting ready to type a lengthy comment to reply to Ele’s lengthy nonsensical bs.
Thank you, Tamara. I can have a coke and a smile and stfu.
And did you do a search of how long it takes a baby or a dog to freeze to death in a car before doing so? Did you switch the car seat that day to one that’s way too small for your child? Do you belong to a group that focuses on living a child free life?
It is not just forgetting the child in the car. It is all the circumstances surrounding it. If he had enough of his wits around him to sext and send pics, he should have remembered at some point. Also, wouldnt your child pop in your mind during the day??
Read the facts before you start giving him all this sympathy. Also, did you have a lot of debt and a 27,000 dollar life insurance on your 3 month old? He did on a 22 month old.
Ok Casey Anthony… where do you work now Disney?
Is it sexting if it happened on IM? I’m asking for a friend. 🙂
On Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 2:41 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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TT, remind your *cough* friend that there’s a huge difference between consensual, sensual titillation and sexual predation. I don’t give a fuck what you call it. Both of these actions can occur far away from any kind of social media. The differences remain.
Thanks! My um…friend feels much better about her slutty conversations now.
On Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 4:37 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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The term is generally used when sending sexual images whether using IM or text. Text uses phone numbers and IM is via a service like yahoo. I think email is used less for that since it isnt in the “now” like text and IM. Having said that I think it is a stupid thing to do.
Did you just give us all a primer on how the Internet works? Really?
On Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 6:00 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Considering I barely know how to turn on my computer, that would be a no!
I once asked one of the young IT guys in my company the same question when the term started getting used. He seemed very familiar with all things sexting. Hahaha!
‘Tis only Ele’s response that calls “sexting” into the dark. Tell your slutty friend, TT, if it feels good do it. Has nothing whatsoever to do with murdering a child. ‘Twas murder Ele. Tell us how we are wrong.
Yup, Casey was my very first thought too. {After the sexting comment, my 2nd thought was that Ele was about 15) {I pity her child)
I’m sorry, but no, most of us have NOT sent pictures of our private parts to someone. The fact that you think they do, or that this is common practice, along with your ignorance of other facts, lends me to believe you are very young, or at the very least, extremely immature, so I will spare you the rest of what is going through my mind. Knowing that you are in control of the life of a small child frightens me. Professional help. It’s there for a reason…..
Amen!
Um no. No no no.
Ele’s comment is beyond depressing. The fact that people would stick up for this monster makes me worry for human kind. And she’s so proud in her righteous indignation. Yes Ele. We’re all wrong and you and Justin Ross Harris walk on water. Whatever were we thinking. And please please please give us longer comments. It just wasn’t long enough for me. Why am I not surprised you accidentally left your kid in the car? Btw, you and Justin don’t have that in common. You left your kid in the car because you’re an idiot. He left his kid in the car because he wanted his kid to die. But if you want to think you two are misunderstood, that’s on you. Don’t try to guilt and shame us.
did anyone ask him when he opened the car to put the lightbulbs or whatever it was he put there after the lunch break, did he not smell a diaper? the baby must have pooped or something.
and why was the wife’s response “Justin must have forgotten him in the car” a response that came to mind?
The whole thing is just sad!
Michael the death penalty is expensive. we could house a prisoner for at least 3 lifetimes for the cost of one death sentence. the state seeks a verdict that if given the state itself appeals it. if a clerk forgets to dot an I or cross a T then there is a clerical error and grounds for another appeal or trial. the states that use their death penalty, texas and florida are the top users, so have a high rate of murder, so it doesnt deter murder. doesnt make much sense does it?
I agree. Put JRH in general population, and once prisoners there learn of his offense, they will save tax payers the expense of execution, AND room & board if he is sentenced to be jailed for life… just their way of paying their debt(s) to society. ☺
I feel sorry for whoever is prosecuting this case, as well as the members of the jury. The details of this heinous crime are going to replay in their minds over and over. I cannot imagine having such intimate knowledge of what this scumbag did. To read just the rudimentary facts of this story sickens me beyond words. Having to hear all the gory details? Nobody should have to go through that!
I’ve read statistics like this. Is it due to the costs of all the death penalty appeals? I’m glad we no longer have it in Australia. I can understand however, in cases like this, why people would want to make an exception.
Michael yeah, the 12-20 years of legal wrangling the taxpayers pay for each DP given. the DP must be painless for the asshole no matter how horrific the crime. people think killing them back will give peace but it doesnt. before the lethal injection they swab the arm with alchohol to stave off that last second chance of infection
I guess one positive is that they never get out of prison. Life sentences these days are pretty short.
some states here have what they call “natural life”. thats no chance for release except in a coffin. but too many life is about a 25 year ordeal then they get parole, for good behaviour. how dies a life sentence play out down there?
When it comes to crimes on children, there is usually no parole. I sure hope that that’s what happens here. Anything less would not be total justice.
Our life sentences are 25 years. If the murderer is a serial killer they may get natural life sentences. It is rare though.
This just happened where I live the day before yesterday to a 17 month old little boy. His father forgot he was in the car and went to work. The poor child sat in the car for 7 hours. You can google it. Patuxent River, Maryland Child Dies in Hot Car. It breaks my heart.
Accidents happen all the time. People today are busy and their lives are stressful. THAT being said, there is a HUGE difference between making an honest mistake that you will have to live with forever, and deliberately ending a precious young life in the most heinous, torturous of ways. I feel sorry for those parents who will have to live with their negligence, and I pray they find peace somehow. But I hope Justin Ross Harris rots in hell.
I completely agree with you…..
I have such a hard time believing anyone would do this to someone, much less their own child. Yet, if it’s true, we will have people defending him and arguing that our manners of death in death penalty cases are inhumane. The way this child died. . . there just are no words.
It is interseting that you can be charged for a crime based on an e-mail or phone number distribution list. It’s probably more to it.
What are you talking about????
On Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I meant interesting! You said he was sexting multiple women and one of them was a minor child.
I’m still confused.
Katrina, Tamara explains that it’s because he was sending pictures of his dick to an underage girl. As well as sexting her. It’s illegal, nothing more to it than that. Does this help? If not I’ll butt out.
Yes Valarie. I was trying to make a logicial connection between the death of a child and sexting a minor child. There is none. Thanks!
I am RSVPing to Valerie’s soirée. I must say I am so honored to be invited to any party hosted by Valerie. I feel as though I’m being accepted into the higher echelon of the TT commenters by attending! Thank-you so much for making that possible. You have no idea how many dreary days of mine have been brightened after reading your hilarious and wit filled comments. You are definitely a favorite of mine amongst all the commenters, sort of like a Jamie (Jersey Belle) in this league of great posters.
Oh, so sorry for gushing.As for the soirée, I have nothing to wear! I don’t think any of the stores here cater to the “prison casual” crowd, although there is a prison here(Folsom,Ca.), so I don’t know why they don’t. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll find something orange and fabulous.
I make a great Peach Cobbler, should I bring? Let me know if you have enough red solo cups as I can bring those as well,
OK, sorry for this long post and given I have no family emergencies, I shall be looking forward to attending your soirée!
OMG!! I RSVPed in the wrong post. Sorry about that Valerie (heads been up my ass lately). I hope you still see this and I didn’t ruin any seating arrangements or things of that nature. Sorry!
Nope, I’ve got you down. We can talk more about it on the Apollo thread.