Charges against Ross Harris create conflicting scenarios
Cold-blooded intent or extreme recklessness – take your pick.
The eight-count indictment against Ross Harris gives jurors a choice of either story line: that the Cobb County dad intentionally killed his son, Cooper, by leaving him in a hot car, or that he was criminally negligent.
It’s not unusual for prosecutors to offer jurors multiple ways to convict, even if the charges rest on conflicting theories of what happened. But legal experts say that strategy can also backfire.
Read the full story, exclusively on MyAJC.com.
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
