In Atlanta, some dispute murder charge against father in hot-car death of boy
Professor Jennifer Collins, who will become dean of SMU's Dedman School of Law on July 1, talks about the hot-car death of 22-month-old Cooper Harris on June 18 in Atlanta, Ga.
By ALAN BLINDER
ATLANTA — The legal drama that has gripped this city for more than a week comes down to whether a 2011 Hyundai Tucson should be considered the scene of a crime or of a horrible mistake.
To the authorities in suburban Cobb County, the vehicle is the place where Justin Ross Harris murdered his 22-month-old son, Cooper, by leaving him in a rear-facing car seat for about seven hours on a warm Southern day. . .
Jennifer Collins, a former homicide prosecutor who is the incoming dean of the law school at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵÍø, said it was not surprising that the case yielded headlines.
“In some ways, you can’t take your eyes away from it because it strikes at your most primal fear as a parent,” said Professor Collins, who conducted a 2006 study that found that most parents who were prosecuted in so-called hot-car cases were convicted. She said it was unusual — although not unprecedented — for the authorities to file a murder charge in connection with such a case.
The debate is poised to continue as Mr. Harris, who is being held without bail, awaits his next court appearance, set for next month.
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