As jury selection began Wednesday in the trial of Ross Harris it’s apparent attorneys will have a hard time finding anyone unfamiliar with the tragic case.
Two of the three potential jurors questioned prior to the lunch break said they had already formed an opinion as to whether Harris intentionally locked his son inside his SUV, as charged by the state. A third said that while he has not made up his mind on Harris' guilt or innocence he couldn't see how a parent could forget their child in a car.
“I’m more biased towards the guilt side,” he said.
The first juror summoned, a substitute teacher, said he tends to believe Harris is guilty but thinks he could remain impartial. The second, a woman whose husband works for Home Depot, where Harris was employed until his son’s death in June 2014, said she’s “leaning towards guilty” but added that opinion is not fixed.
Still, she said she had no desire to serve on the jury.
“I do not wish to see more details,” about 22-month-old Cooper Harris’ death, she said.
The third juror, an ex-Marine and independent contractor, also begged off service, saying it would be a major financial imposition.
Questioning will continue this afternoon though it appears unlikely that all 21 jurors brought in Wednesday will be interviewed. Jury selection is expected to take two weeks, if not longer.
Out of 375 citizens who were summoned for the Harris trial, roughly 250 showed up Tuesday to answer a 17-page jury questionnaire, said Cobb County court administrator Tom Charron.
For continuous updates on the Harris trial, follow @ReporterJCB on Twitter.
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