Man whose murder conviction was overturned for leaving son in hot car released from prison

Ross Harris' conviction for the 2014 death of his son was overturned in 2022. Almost exactly 10 years since Cooper's death, Harris is walking free.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Justin Ross Harris, the Cobb County man originally convicted of murder after leaving his son in a hot car, was released from Macon State Prison Sunday, according to records from the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Harris was originally sentenced in 2016 to life without possibility of parole plus 32 years for the June 18, 2014, death of his 22-month-old son Cooper.

But in 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court overturned parts of the conviction related to Cooper's death. About 11 months later, the Cobb County District Attorney's office stated that they decided not to retry Harris on the reversed counts, a decision that "shocked" the lead prosecutor who originally tried the case.

However, Harris' initial conviction also included sex crimes against a 16-year-old girl, for which Harris was sentenced to serve 12 years. Those convictions -- for three out of the original eight -- were not overturned. The remaining convictions were two counts of distribution of obscene material and one count of sexual exploitation of a child, for which he was sentenced to serve 10 years.

What happened to Cooper Harris?

Cooper Harris was left strapped in a rear-facing car seat in the back of an SUV. His father was supposed to take him to daycare, but arrived at his Home Depot job and left the toddler in the car, where he died of hyperthermia.

Harris' release comes just two days before the 10-year mark of Cooper's death.

11Alive reached out to Harris' lawyer for a statement, who declined commenting.

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