Day 3: Six potential jurors eliminated from Ross Harris trial

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — Six jurors were eliminated from the potential jury pool Wednesday in the trial of Ross Harris, a Cobb County father accused of intentionally leaving his son in a hot SUV.

Six others were selected to move forward as day three of jury selection wrapped up in Glynn County, where the trial was moved earlier this year in hopes of finding an impartial jury.

Those 12 jurors are part of the first panel of 36 jurors that lawyers are questioning.

• First panel of 36 jurors questioned collectively.
• Lawyers asked potential jurors about their personal lives and social media habits.
• Four jurors indicated that they could not listen to evidence based on personal experiences.

After collective questioning on Tuesday, potential jurors who indicated that they have knowledge of the case were questioned in smaller groups and individually on Wednesday.

Attorneys questioned jurors about everything from their social media habits, to encounters with law enforcement and even if they are familiar with the Hyundai Tucson -- the SUV that Harris left his son Cooper in for more than seven hours in June 2014.

Experts said the slow, methodical questioning is necessary to ensure a fair trial.

Although the trial is more than 300 miles away from where Cooper died, many responses given by potential jurors Wednesday were similar to those given by potential jurors earlier this year in Cobb County.

“Being a mom, I don't think there is any excuse for having left a child,” one potential juror said.

"If it's a murder case obviously this child died, and there is no excuse for that,” another potential juror said.

Channel 2's Ross Cavitt said that one of the potential jurors used to live in Cobb County and her husband went to school with the Judge Mary Staley's stepson.

Attorneys started questioning the second set of 12 jurors Wednesday night. They will continue Thursday morning.

Their goal is to have 42 jurors in the pool before the trial begins. Court officials believe they will have a jury seated in two weeks.

Cox Media Group