Day 4: Eleven more jurors added to pool in Ross Harris trial

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — Lawyers spent the day Thursday questioning a second panel of potential jurors in the trial of Ross Harris, a Cobb County father accused of intentionally leaving his son, Cooper, in a hot SUV.

Eleven more jurors were added to the pool for the trial by the end of the day.

Attorneys asked a second group of 12 jurors about their personal lives and knowledge of the case.

• 12 jurors from first panel of 36 questioned individually.
• 6 jurors were eliminated from the potential jury pool.
• 6 jurors were selected to move forward.
• Attorneys hope to have 42 jurors in the pool before the trial begins.

What we've learned about potential jurors

One of the potential jurors said she likes to delve into crimes and see what makes the accused tick.

"I just don't believe you can be sane and do certain things. What makes your mind turn that way? Like what happens to a person?" she said.

Another potential juror has served on four juries before, and said she would not let other jurors bring personal opinions into the jury room.

"You wouldn't have to worry about that. I'm going to follow the law and I'm going to look at all the evidence and make sure everyone else does the same thing," she said.

Another juror said he had experience dealing with the death of a young child and he would not he able to sit and heat the details of another.

[SPECIAL SECTION: Ross Harris' hot car death trial]

Channel 2's legal analyst, Esther Panitch, said she has noticed a slight difference in the jurors in Glynn County.

"We have had a lot of people that work with children here that I don't remember seeing in Cobb. A lot of people working in day cares or schools or as nurses with children, so it's kind of a little bit different dynamic and I'm pretty sure that's something the defense wouldn't want on their jury," she said.

Lawyers have to delve into the personal lives of the potential jurors in order to know how they may handle the case.

"There are clues that each side is looking for in order to get the jury of their dreams. Of course, it's not within them to pick the jury of their dreams, but there are jurors that are involved in certain professions that would be red flags for one side of the other," Panitch said.

How long will jury selection take?

Lawyers and the judge agreed to add 11 more jurors to the pool for the trial, bringing the total to 17.

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

Attorneys hope 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