Crime & Safety

Online Petition Supporting Justin Harris Withdrawn

Change.org petition had garnered more than 10,000 supporters in the week since the death of Cooper Harris and the arrest of his father.

The online petition encouraging the Cobb County District Attorney's Office to drop murder charges against the Marietta man jailed after he said he accidentally left his 22-month-old child in a broiling SUV last week was closed on Thursday.

The Change.org petition from Parents Support Parents had indicated it would be delivered to Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds. Titled, “Drop Murder Chargers Against Justin Harris for Son’s Accidental Death,” it had garnered more than 10,000 supporters in the week since the death of Cooper Harris and the arrest of his father, Justin Harris.

It read:

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Justin Harris, the father of a 22-month-old boy left day in a car has been charged with murder and child cruelty. He is being held without bond and is currently still in jail. This is a horrible accident. The father loved his son immensely. These were very loving parents who are devastated. Justin already has to live with a punishment worse than death. Sending what's left of his family in to bankruptcy to defend him against these charges is only bringing more hardship to a family that will never recover from the loss of a child. There is nothing to indicate that the father intentionally left his child in the car, so a charge of murder is not appropriate.  

Sign this petition to tell the D.A to drop the murder charges.

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But one day after new details were released in the death investigation including police saying the death of a toddler was not “simple negligence,” the petition was stopped.

“I think that based on the recent developments this petition is no longer relevant,” a note on the site explained. “I still pray that this was truly an accident. If that is the case, the DA now knows that the community does not want Justin prosecuted on murder charges.”

Harris, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is being held in the county jail without bail. His next appearance in county magistrate court has been moved up from July 15 to July 3, when the issue of his bond will be addressed in the probable cause hearing.

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