The man who gained international attention after his son died in a hot car in Atlanta was released from prison 10 years after the boy’s death.
Justin Ross Harris, originally from Tuscaloosa, moved to Atlanta in 2012 for a job. He and his wife had a son, Cooper.
During his murder trial in 2016, prosecutors blasted the father for his extramarital, sexual text messages and rendezvous with multiple women. They said before sunrise on June 18, 2014, the 33-year-old texted four other women, including a 17-year-old girl.
Harris regularly visited the local Chick-fil-A on his way to drop Cooper off at daycare. On June 18, 2014, he did just that, but instead of taking his child to daycare, he left Chick-fil-A and drove straight to work.
Cooper was left in Harris’ Hyundai Tucson SUV for seven hours and was pronounced dead on the scene.
A jury found Harris guilty on eight counts, including malice murder. He was sentenced to life without parole plus 32 years.
However, in 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court overturned the conviction, saying Ross’ extramarital activities were irrelevant to the case and unfairly caused prejudice.
Harris’ now ex-wife has always maintained she believed the hot car death was an accident.
Harris served seven and a half years in the Macon State Prison and was released Sunday. Although the hot car death convictions were overturned, he had to remain in prison to serve time for convictions on three sex crimes committed against a 16-year-old girl.
He was booked into the Cobb County jail where he could serve up to 12 years.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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