The latest: Six more prospective jurors were qualified to serve on Thursday in the Justin Ross Harris murder trial. One previously qualified juror was excused for medical reasons. The newly qualified jurors: a business manager of a call center who once played football for the University of South Carolina; an administrative assistant from Mableton who said she "believed it when they said it was intentional"; a native of Mexico who works quality control for a chemical company and whose wife used to put a diaper bag in the front seat to remind her of the children in the back; a FedEx courier from East Cobb who questioned why Harris researched animals dying in hot cars; another East Cobb man who has no televisions or Internet access in his home and knows very little about the case; and an Air Force reservist with three children who said she can decide the case based on the evidence and the law.
The charges: Ross Harris, accused of intentionally leaving his 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.
The tally: Twenty-six jurors have been qualified. A minimum of 30 are needed before prosecutors and defense attorneys exercise their nine "peremptory" challenges afforded to each side. Because Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley is expected to want additional alternate jurors, as many as 42 or more prospective jurors will have to be qualified.
Quote of the day: "The Lord has really impressed upon me to pray for all of you," said a deeply religious East Cobb man who raises money for a metro area mission.
Decision of the day: Staley granted a defense motion to excuse Juror #48, who said she had ill feelings toward Harris. The East Cobb woman, a church elder with two children and four grandchildren, acknowledged that she believed he was guilty. All young children trust their parents to take care of them, she said. When prosecutor Chuck Boring asked her about this case, she replied, "Cooper's dead. … The fact is that he had the child and he was responsible for the child that day and the child died." Staley said that although the woman had said she wanted to be fair because she'd want others to be fair to her, "if the shoe was on the other foot," the woman expressed too many strong opinions about Harris and his guilt.
What's next: Jury selection continues Friday and could wrap up sometime next week.
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