By Associated Press - Friday, October 21, 2016

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a Georgia man charged with murder after his toddler son died in the back of a hot SUV (all times local):

___

4:40 p.m.

In a video recording made a few hours after their son died in the back of a hot car, a Georgia man and his wife can be heard talking about having more children.

Jurors in the murder trial of Justin Ross Harris watched police video Friday of Harris and his wife as they saw each other for the first time after their 22-month-old son, Cooper, died June 18, 2014.

Harris weeps as his wife, Leanna, consoles him. She remains calm throughout the 40-minute video. At one point she asks if Harris is willing to have more children.

Harris replies: “I want to have a family,” then adds, “I’m just going to miss him.”

Prosecutors say Harris left his son to die on purpose. His defense attorneys say it was a tragic accident.

___

3:25 p.m.

Jurors have watched video of police detectives questioning a Georgia man the day his son was found dead after being left for hours inside a hot SUV.

Justin Ross Harris is charged with murder in the June 2014 death of his 22-month-old son, Cooper. Prosecutors say Harris left the child to die on purpose.

A 90-minute police video of Harris’ police interview begins with him alone in a police interrogation room. He begins sobbing and cries out, “I’m so sorry, Cooper! I’m so sorry!”

At other times Harris seems more composed. At the end of the interview, he calmly debates Cobb County detective Phil Stoddard, who tells Harris he’s being charged with child cruelty.

Harris tells him, “It was completely accidental” and adds, “I’m a great father.”

___

11 a.m.

Trial evidence shows a Georgia man swapped sexual text messages with a teenage girl while his toddler son was dying in the back of a hot SUV.

The young woman who exchanged the texts with Justin Ross Harris testified Friday that he asked for a photograph of her breasts, and she sent him one in reply, on the afternoon of June 18, 2014. Harris’ 22-month-old son Cooper was found dead just a few hours later in Harris’ SUV.

Harris is charged with murder as well as disseminating harmful material to a minor and criminal attempt to commit sexual exploitation of a minor, offenses dealing with the sexual texts. The witness said she was 16 and 17 during the months she and Harris exchanged sexual banter and photos online.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide