BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) - The Latest on a trial involving a Georgia man charged with murder after his toddler son died inside a hot SUV (all times local):
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6:45 p.m.
A witness has testified that a Georgia man showed grief after his toddler son died inside a hot SUV, but she didn’t think his tears were sincere.
News media outlets quote Atiyka Eastland as testifying Wednesday that Justin Ross Harris’ tears were “on and off” after the death of his 22-month-old son, Cooper, who was left seven hours in a vehicle parked outside the father’s Cobb County workplace. In the trial’s third day of testimony, Eastland said Harris’ calm demeanor was unusual.
Dale Hamilton was another witness who took the stand. He testified that Harris’ SUV pulled in front of his car before the father pulled Cooper out of the car seat. Hamilton says a distraught Harris kept asking “What have I done?” while the toddler lay lifeless on the asphalt.
Harris’ lawyer says the witnesses don’t know his client well enough to know his mannerisms.
Harris is charged with murder.
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2 p.m.
The trial of a Georgia man charged with murder after his toddler son died inside a hot SUV will go into recess as Hurricane Matthew heads toward the southern region of the U.S.
According to news media outlets, Judge Mary Staley Clark said before testimony began Wednesday that the trial will be put on hold starting at noon Thursday and will reconvene Friday. The trial is being held in Brunswick, Georgia, which is expected to be in the path of the hurricane.
The Glynn County Board of Commissioners called for a voluntary evacuation of St. Simons island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island and Little St. Simons Island. Clark says she will remain in the St. Simon area throughout the weekend.
Prosecutors say Justin Ross Harris intentionally killed his 22-month-old son, Cooper, by leaving the child for seven hours in a vehicle parked outside the father’s Cobb County workplace.
Harris’ defense lawyer Maddox Kilgore told the jury in his opening statement Tuesday that Harris is certainly responsible for his son’s death, but insisted it was an accident and Harris committed no crime.
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4:05 a.m.
Testimony is scheduled to resume in the trial of a Georgia man charged with murder after his toddler son died inside a hot SUV.
The trial of Justin Ross Harris enters its third day Wednesday in coastal Brunswick, where the case was moved 275 miles from the Atlanta suburbs because of pretrial publicity.
Prosecutors say Harris intentionally killed his 22-month-old son, Cooper, by leaving the child for seven hours in a vehicle parked outside the father’s Cobb County workplace.
Harris’ defense lawyer Maddox Kilgore told the jury in his opening statement Tuesday that Harris is certainly responsible for his son’s death, but insisted it was an accident and Harris committed no crime.
The trial of Harris, who moved to Georgia from Alabama in 2012, is expected to last several weeks.
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