GA man accused in son’s hot car death transferred to jail after release from prison

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A man whose murder conviction was overturned in his son’s hot car death is now back at the Cobb County jail.

Channel 2 Action News reported Monday that the Georgia Department of Corrections released Justin Ross Harris from the Macon State Prison.

He was released on Sunday. Channel 2′s Richard Elliot confirmed with Cobb County jail officials that Harris has been transferred over to their facility.

The officials could not confirm how long Harris will remain in jail, but a former Cobb County prosecutor believes he could serve the remaining two years of his sentence on other charges there.

A jury convicted Harris on murder charges in 2016 after his son, 22-month-old Cooper Harris, died in a hot car in 2014. Tuesday marked 10 years since his death.

Harris claimed he had simply forgotten Cooper was in the car for more than seven hours while he went to work.

Cobb County prosecutors argued that Harris killed his son so he would no longer be a parent or a husband and could pursue other sexual relationships, including one with a 16-year-old girl.

Harris and his attorneys submitted an appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. In 2022, the court took up the case and ultimately reversed the counts related to Cooper’s death because the jury “heard and saw an extensive amount of improperly admitted evidence.”

The Georgia Supreme Court upheld Harris’ other convictions, including criminal attempt to commit sexual exploitation of children and dissemination of harmful material to minors.

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Elliot spoke to former Cobb Assistant District Attorney Chuck Boring, who prosecuted Harris.

Boring said he was disappointed with the state Supreme Court’s decision to reverse the counts related to Cooper’s death.

“I have no doubt in my mind the jury was correct. When the Supreme Court case came down with their decision, I mean, obviously, I was disappointed,” Boring said.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Cobb District Attorney’s office and Ross Harris’ attorneys for comments but has yet to hear back.

No new trial set in case of Ross Harris, whose son died after he left him in a hot car

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