Ross Harris murder trial: Defense focuses on text messages
BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Testimony continues in the Ross Harris murder trial. Thursday, defense attorneys have focused on text messages from the day the Cobb County father's son died in a hot SUV, stating they prove he's a loving father.
Testimony revealed Harris texted his wife to ask her to pick up their son the day the toddler died. The text to Leanna Harris on June 18 seemed to prove Harris forgot to take the child to daycare. The defense has said the death was a horrible accident.
The first witness to testify Thursday was a continuation from Wednesday. Ronson Bridges Smith, a Cobb Police High tech investigator, analyzed Harris' iPhone 5 for the investigation.
The defense went through all of Harris' electronic messages and Google searches. They pointed out that he was talking about Cooper on the app Whisper, and not "sexting," as prosecutors had claimed.
The state has charged the Cobb father with malice murder saying he deliberately left his son in an SUV to die because he wanted to enjoy a child free lifestyle. Leanna and Ross Harris have since divorced, but she plans to stand behind her ex-husband's claims that Cooper's death was an accident.
The prosecution presented jurors with yet another young woman who said she was sexting with Harris at 1:17 p.m. on June 18 as Cooper was dying.
Alexandra Swindell, the second witness to testify Thursday, said she was a student at the University of Alabama when she met Harris on the app Skout. She told jurors in late 2012 Harris picked her up from her dorm room and they two drove to an area where they first started kissing, but she ended up performing oral sex on Harris.
Swindell has since graduated from Alabama.
Dr. David Brani was the first witness called to the stand. Brani, a thermal test and heat transfer scientist, conducted the heat study inside Harris’ car.
Brandi said internal temperatures in Harris’ car gradually increased on the day Cooper died, peaking at 125 degrees around 1 p.m.
Around 11:35 a.m., Brani said his test shows temperatures near the car seat and on the exterior of the vehicle at 88 degrees. Then around 12:24 p.m., he said temperatures near the car seat were at 98 degrees while temperatures outside remained at 88 degrees.
Brani’s test findings supported the prosecution’s theory that Cooper was still alive when Harris returned to his SUV at lunch time.
Tuesday's testimony began with 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.
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 given them to another official.
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 Tuesday, 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.