THE STORY SO FAR
Eariler: Justin Ross Harris was charged with murder in the hot-car death of his son Cooper in 2014, but the trial was moved after the judge ruled an impartial jury could not be found in Cobb County.
The latest: The trial now is taking place in coastal Georgia and 29 potential jurors have been chosen.
What's next: If jury selection is completed this week, the court will take next week off and opening statements will begin on Oct. 3.
BRUNSWICK — It's a safe bet that most of the Glynn County residents summoned for the Justin Ross Harris murder trial wished they were at least 70 years old, at least for one day.
Two prospective jurors from the fourth panel of 12 citizens were excused from service Tuesday, exercising one of the privileges of age. In Georgia, jury duty is an option, not a mandate, for those 70 and older.
Six more jurors were qualified Tuesday. After seven long days in court, the finish line for the selection process is in sight.
The charges: Harris is accused of intentionally leaving his only child inside a hot SUV to die. The former Home Depot web developer is charged with eight felonies, including malice murder, which gives jurors the option of finding that he intentionally left his child in his SUV, and felony murder, which would allow jurors to find Harris guilty of criminal negligence. Attorneys for the 35-year-old Tuscaloosa native say he left Cooper in the car by mistake.
By the numbers: Twenty nine prospective jurors are now eligible for the final pool. It's assumed that at least 42 potential jurors — and as many as 50 — must be qualified, from which the main jury of 12, plus up to four alternates, will be selected.
Guilty until proven innocent: Five jurors questioned individually said they believed Harris was guilty. One, a private caregiver to the elderly, told the court, "Leaving a child in a car is inexcusable." But he insisted he would remain impartial. The three other jurors with strong opinions about Harris' culpability in his son's death made no such guarantees and were struck for cause.
Noted & quoted: "I have children and grandchildren and I could never leave them behind in a car," said a female prospective juror, a clerk for a collection agency. "I can't get past that. I just don't see how it's possible." She was dismissed.
Magnum mania: Potential jurors are asked about everything from previous arrests (if any) to their favorite TV shows. Two of the jurors questioned Tuesday professed their love for "Blue Bloods," and, more specifically, its star, Tom Selleck. One of jurors said she even tried to friend Selleck on Facebook. Defense attorney Maddox Kilgore said he, too, is a big fan of the show.
Next up: Individual questioning of the fifth panel of 12 jurors will take place Wednesday, followed by the next round of qualifying. Of those 12, few appear to hold strong opinions about Harris one way or the other, meaning it's possible most will be qualified. If that happens, jury selection is likely to be completed by Friday, on schedule. The trial will be in recess next week, with opening statements scheduled Oct. 3.
Follow: AJC reporters Christian Boone (@reporterJCB) and Bill Rankin (@ajccourts) will be in Brunswick for the duration of the trial.
Harris is the subject of the second season of the AJC's podcast series "Breakdown," which will follow the trial's developments. Follow live updates on Twitter at @AJCBreakdown.
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