Georgia’s highest court has overturned the murder and child cruelty convictions against a man whose toddler son died after he left him in a hot car for hours.
The Georgia Supreme Court opinion released Wednesday says the jury saw evidence that was “extremely and unfairly prejudicial.” Justin Ross Harris, 41, was convicted in November 2016 on eight counts including malice murder in the death of his 22-month-old son, Cooper.
A judge sentenced him to life without parole as well as 32 more years in prison for other crimes. The high court upheld Harris’ convictions on three sex crimes committed against a 16-year-old girl that Harris had not appealed.
Harris' attorney Carlos Rodriguez said his client is innocent.
“From day one, we’ve maintained Ross was innocent and the strategy of painting Ross to be a philanderer or someone that was unfaithful to his wife had nothing to do with the love he had for Cooper," he told WGCL-TV.
