Jurors in the hot-car murder trial on Friday watched a 3D laser scan of both the outside and inside of Ross Harris' SUV with a life-size doll of his dead son Cooper still strapped inside his rear-facing car seat.
The photos and video were prepared by David Dustin, an expert in 3D scanning and image mapping, for the Cobb County. Dustin is expected to be the state’s final witness.
Prosecutors accuse Harris of intentionally leaving Cooper in his hot car to die on July 18, 2014. Harris' lawyers contend it was a terrible accident.
Prosecutors are showing the scans to let jurors see how close Harris’ head inside the SUV would have been to the top of Cooper’s head. It is indeed a very close distance — just a few inches away — but the top of Cooper’s head would have been a little bit behind and to the right of Harris.
The 3D laser scans were admitted into evidence over the defense’s objection. Harris’ defense teeam contended the photos and video do not give an accurate depiction of the scene.
In fact, because laser-scanning technology cannot accurately capture glass, Dustin decided to remove glass images from scans being shown to the jury. This means the scans of Harris’ SUV do not have front or rear windshields or window panes. Also, during a video “fly over” of the car, depicting the scene where Harris pulled over into the parking lot of Akers Mill Square, the roof of the SUV suddenly disappears. The scan allows jurors to see an unencumbered view of the inside of the car and to see the replica doll of Cooper in his car seat.
The laser scan, from the inside of the car and apparently from about the same vantage point that Harris would have had, shows it should have been relatively easy for Harris to see the top of Cooper’s head if he had looked over to the right at anytime he was in the car with his son.
Prosecutors apparently think the 3D scans are powerful evidence, given the fact Dustin is expected to be the state’s final witness.
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