MARIETTA â After two full days of testimony and argument before Judge Mary Staley Clark, Justin Ross Harrisâs appeal for a new trial remains unresolved.
Harrisâ hearing has been tabled while both the prosecution and defense prepare further research on the case. The matter will now not be decided until early 2021.
The Cobb County man was convicted four years ago of murdering his toddler son Cooper by deliberately leaving him in a hot car. Harris was sentenced to life in prison. His attorney Mitch Durham contended that the trial was improperly conducted, and that his client deserves a new day in court.
MARIETTA â Justin Ross Harris, the Cobb County man who four years ago was convicted of murdering his 20-month-old son, began his appeal for a new trial Monday morning.
Represented by Marietta attorney Mitch Durham, the defense argued that a number of errors in the original trial deeply compromised Harrisâs ability to receive fair treatment in court.
Harris attended the hearing through a video stream from Macon State Prison. Clad in a white jumpsuit, he occasionally took notes throughout the day, but was otherwise silent. Both Durham and the prosecutor, Linda Dunikoski, senior assistant district attorney for Cobb County, also joined the hearing via Zoom.
On Monday, one of the most notorious murder cases in recent Cobb history will be back in the spotlight as Justin Ross Harris begins his quest for a new trial.
Over four years ago, Harris was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of his 22-month-old son, Cooper Harris. Cooper died after being left in the back seat of his fatherâs car for over seven hours, while his father worked at a Home Depot office on Cumberland Parkway.
Now, Harris and his attorneys will appear at a three-day hearing for a new trial starting Monday. Itâs set to be heard in Cobb Superior Court by Judge Mary Staley Clark, who presided over the initial trial.
forum for people interested in living a child-free life. a monstrous pore tras was emerging. but even after weighing all the allegations, ross friends were still convinced he never meant to hurt cooper. did you ever hear ross get frustrated with cooper? no. reporter: treat him like he was a burden at times? no. reporter: because you know there are times when kids can get on our nerves. no. no. there are times when you definitely need a break. okay? but he loved that boy. reporter: ross harris family enlisted the help of defense attorney maddox kilgore and his team. the entire case was a house of cards. we felt that, despite public sentiment, and despite the bravado of the state and the charges, we felt extremely confident that that house of cards was going to collapse in trial. reporter: in october, 2016, more than two years after the death of his son, ross harris went on trial for murder. death. deception.
investigators said ross had done internet research on hot car death and even visited an online forum for people interested in living a child-free life. a monstrous pore tras was emerging. but even after weighing all the allegations, ross friends were still convinced he never meant to hurt cooper. did you ever hear ross get frustrated with cooper? no. reporter: treat him like he was a burden at times? no. reporter: because you know there are times when kids can get on our nerves. no. no. there are times when you definitely need a break. okay? but he loved that boy. reporter: ross harris family enlisted the help of defense attorney maddox kilgore and his team. the entire case was a house of cards. we felt that, despite public sentiment, and despite the bravado of the state and the charges, we felt extremely confident that that house of