Posted on 12/05/2016 11:20:35 AM PST by Cecily
Justin Ross Harris, convicted three weeks ago of intentionally leaving his 22-month-old son inside a hot car to die, was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
An additional 32 years — the maximum penalty allowed — was added to the sentence by Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mark Staley Clark, following the recommendation of prosecutors.
“The state’s recommendation is the very least that can be considered just,” Staley Clark said.
“There is no justification,” lead prosecutor Chuck Boring said Monday in requesting the toughest punishment possible. “This is basically the most aggravated killing of another individual, especially a young child … that there’s only one sentence that reflects the evil nature of what he did.”
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
That poor little boy. You have to wonder about the other family members - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.
May he rest in the arms of God and angels.
The Supreme Court of Georgia reviews all capital cases, and only once has it allowed the death penalty to be applied based on that aggravating circumstance, so it seems to adopt a very narrow definition for that circumstance.
Do you know what that was?
Is this what you are referring to? (From a discussion in Law Newz, at the link):
“He also twice accessed a video that he was sent about a veterinarian discussing the effect of heat on animals, but there was no evidence that he searched for it, or that he even watched the whole thing ...”
Here’s the case, but be warned, the details are sickening.
http://law.justia.com/cases/georgia/supreme-court/1974/29131-1.html
Thanks for explaining that. I had forgotten about the case and I was thinking the poor father has enough punishment, that he accidentally killed his adored son. But this was a form of murder, not a sleep deprived accident.
I could so see how some of these cases accidentally happen, when you have two working parents, both sleep deprived, and no set schedule of who takes the infant to day care each day, or sharing that responsibility. That kind of memory is severely impacted by lack of proper sleep. It is far safer for a child to be wholly in the care of just one person if that is to be the life led, giving up the baby care for most of the day time.
But this case was no accident. I’m only sorry this guy is allowed to live.
That certainly qualifies as “outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman”. It reminds me of the murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, and of Jesse Dirkhising. Among others.
He is highly unlikely to die of natural causes in prison.
Pure evil.
Not sure.
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