Motions hearing in Ross Harris murder case

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A Judge ruled Brunwick jurors will see the actual SUV a toddler died in back in June of 2014. 

Ross Harris is charged in the 2014 hot car death of his 22-month-old son Cooper. Prosecutors said Harris intentionally left Cooper in a hot car to die on June 18, 2014.

Friday, during a motions hearings, the state convinced a judge to allow them to tow the SUV in question to Brunswick. Investigators believe the toddler was left in his father’s SUV for seven hours.

Harris faces multiple charges stemming from the incident including murder. The defense maintains it was an accident.

Defense attorneys argued still photographs, videotape and detail measurements would suffice for the jury, but lead prosecutor Chuck Boring told the judge he wanted jurors to see what the state calls the murder weapon. 

Superior Court Judge Mary Staley Clark agreed with prosecutors and ruled jurors will see the SUV.

Judge Staley Clark granted a defense motion for a change of venue for Harris on May 2 after the defense argued there were too many potential jurors with bias. The defense said moving the trial outside of the Atlanta television market would make impartial jurors easier to find, giving Harris a fair trial.

Officials said that Brunswick is in the Jacksonville, Florida television market and hasn’t seen the intense coverage found in metro Atlanta.

Jury selection begins September 12 in Brunswick. The trial is expected to take six to eight weeks.