The latest: With the end of jury selection in sight, the number of citizens qualified to serve on the Ross Harris murder trial actually decreased by one Thursday with the dismissal of Juror #22. The state called Chattahoochee Tech's athletic director, who testified that the Marietta school doesn't have a baseball program, contradicting a claim by the juror that he had received a baseball scholarship from the school. Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley struck Juror #22 — a porn enthusiast, by his own account — for cause, accusing him of playing "fast and loose with the truth." That leaves 37 qualified jurors.
The arithmetic: If Staley decides she wants four alternate jurors in addition to the 12 chosen to serve, 42 prospective jurors must be qualified. That should happen within the next day or two.
The charges: Harris, accused of intentionally leaving his 22-month-old son Cooper inside a hot car to die, is charged with malice murder, two counts of felony murder, cruelty to children in the first and second degree, criminal attempt to commit a felony and dissemination of harmful materials to minors.
Quote of the day: "Don't ask me my opinion because I'll give it to you," said Juror #81, an accountant and grandmother who questioned Harris' motive. "If he did it on purpose what would he gain?" she asked. The woman, seemingly a must-have for the defense, also discussed a case involving her nephew, who was involved in an auto accident that killed his son. Juror #81 said she felt her nephew was "persecuted not prosecuted." She said when he was sentenced, the judge asked her nephew, "Did you not love your son?" It was "so wrong for him to say that," said the juror. "He loved his son."
Race resurfaces: For a second time, a prospective juror alleged racial profiling by police. Juror #79, an African-American technical engineer, said he was stopped once simply because "two African-American guys were driving the car."
Familiar bio: Juror #78, like Ross Harris, is a University of Alabama graduate. She and her husband work for Home Depot, Harris' employer until his arrest in June 2014 for his son's murder. She's a good bet to be qualified, saying she rarely watches the news and has no opinion about the defendant's guilt or innocence. The Kennesaw native said she wants to serve on the jury because "everyone deserves a fair trial."
What's next: Based on the established routine, three more jurors will be questioned Friday. Another round of qualifying will follow, and to reach the minimum 42 prospective jurors necessary, five of the last 12 citizens questioned must be approved by the judge. It's likely that number will be reached Friday. It's possible Staley will want more jurors. All things considered, it's unlikely a jury will be seated before the weekend.
For ongoing coverage of the Harris case, follow @ReporterJCB and @ajccourts on Twitter.
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