Juror questionnaire for Ross Harris trial asks about sex, dating history

COBB COUNTY, GA. — More than 250 potential jurors in Cobb County spent the day filling out a juror questionnaire for the trial of a father accused of intentionally leaving his son in a hot car to die. %

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Ross Harris is charged in the death of his 2-year-old son, Cooper, in June 2014.

The 17-page document contained dozens of personal questions, some of the more shocking ones relating to sex, pornography and dating history of the potential juror.

Those questions stem from allegations that Harris was sexting underage girls, having extra-marital affairs and also researched hot car deaths and a child-free lifestyle.

The questions ranged from “Have you ever had sexual addiction?” “Have you looked at a pornographic website?” “Have you ever had an extramarital affair?” to more mundane questions like, “Do you have a child that rides in a car seat?” “Have you watched any legal documentaries or docudramas?” “Have you ever driven a Hyundai Tucson?”

[Ross Harris jury selection: Day 1]

Prosecutors also filed a motion Tuesday asking the judge to take the jury out of the courtroom to look at Harris’ car and the scene.

Attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who has been following the case, told Channel 2’s Ross Cavitt that the jury questionnaire will likely significantly trim the jury pool, mostly from the mundane questions like taking medications or the requirement to avoid using social media during the long trial.

[MORE: Expert says Ross Harris trial will hinge on jury selection]

“I think a lot of people will be disqualified,” Merchant said. %

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She says the 17 pages mirror the challenges lawyers think they will face in the days ahead.

"They're doing this because they think it's going to be very hard to find a jury, and so they're doing this to try to sort out some of the initial concerns with finding a jury and to be able to weed those people out, because if they aren't going to be impartial there's no point spending an hour questioning them. It's just a waste of time,” Merchant said.

Merchant says the lawyers will also be looking for those trying to get on the jury in this high profile case for personal gain or an agenda.

The questionnaire also asked potential jurors if they've seen media coverage of the case, but legal expert Esther Panitch says that alone won't disqualify them as jurors.

[READ: 5 things to know about Justin Ross Harris and the hot car death]

“It is okay if the juror has heard about the case and heard lots of facts about the case. They can't have formed an opinion,” she said.

Lawyers are now reviewing those questionnaires. Jury selection will resume at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday when attorneys on both sides will be able to question potential jurors individually.

Cox Media Group