06-26-2014, 10:16 AM
(06-26-2014, 07:13 AM)ramseycat Wrote: Of course he willfully left his son in the car. He knew he was there and didn't take him out. How is that not willfully leaving him?
The charge was essentially downgraded from one of "willful" or "mailicious" cruelty to one of cruelty via "gross negligence".
That means police don't have what they consider proof, at this time, that Justin Harris intended to inflict harm upon his son by leaving him in the car all day. But, whether he intended to inflict harm or not, it was grossly negligent and cruel to leave that baby in the car for all of those hours.
Justin Harris' initial crime (be it willful cruelty or instead neglectful cruelty) led to his son's death, so the first degree murder charge is supported either way.
The Medical Examiner has ruled that Cooper Harris died from hyperthermia, or elevated body temperature. (I don't know if they have tox results yet, for sedatives and such.)
There are those who still believe that Justin Harris forgot that his son was in the car, despite the fact that he moved Cooper to the back seat after the two had breakfast out together (they believe Justin really forgot about his son after that and then didn't see his son when he went to the car at lunchtime because Cooper was facing backward and Justin wasn't looking for him).
Here's a good update on the investigation and the charges:
http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/253...ght_column