Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Leanna Harris Attorney Statement

Through her attorney, Leaana Harris complains that she needs to be left alone to grieve, and that her every movement is being scrutinized in life.

No disagreement here.

Her bizarre rant at the funeral did not show grieving, but unity and support for her cheating husband, Ross Harris, who now faces murder charges.

Leanna Harris has yet to be charged, with many speculating that she will face charges, which is why she hired a criminal attorney.

Leanna Harris' words showed support for her "leader" husband, who we learned at the hearing, was "sexting" up to 6 different women while their toddler was slowly dying in their hot vehicle.

Leanna Harris has not spoken out publicly since the funeral.

Here is the Statement of her attorney.  Note what it does not mention:  her husband.  Asking for privacy, via a public statement, is to seek more publicity.  This is not lost in the statement.  For to build a mystery ("hidden meaning") is to gain a following and attention of those who wish to solve the "mystery."

The attorney is clever and will increase the attention his client gets:

"Leanna Harris is living every parent's nightmare - the child she bore and loved every moment of his life has died. For most parents, it is difficult, if not impossible, to comprehend such a thing. But for Leanna, that nightmare is all too real. She will never again be able to tuck him into bed at night and return later to check on him.

She mourns Cooper's death deeply, in her own private way. She takes comfort from a strong faith in God, but the loss is still overwhelming. Getting through each day seems almost impossible.

Dealing with her grief has become more difficult as the days go on, however, in large part because of the constant speculation and innuendo in the media. Newspapers, television and online media have fostered a poisonous atmosphere in which Leanna's every word, action and emotion - or failure to cry in front of a crowd -- is scrutinized for some supposed hidden meaning. In much the same way, the press unjustly harassed and hounded Olympic bombing hero Richard Jewell when he didn't behave as some thought he should.

Reporters have delved into Leanna's upbringing, her employment, quizzed people for information about her marriage, and her sex life. The constant attention has prevented her from returning to work.

For Leanna, Cooper's death has been devastating. She asks that she be allowed to grieve in private without reporters calling, following or watching her home. Since his death, she has been unable to have that time of mourning that every bereaved parent needs. Please allow her the dignity to mourn her son in private."




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44 comments:

John Mc Gowan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Mc Gowan said...

Attorney: Leanna Harris is living a 'nightmare'

"She will never again be able to tuck him into bed at night and return later to check on him," said Leanna Harris' attorney Lawrence Zimmerman.

This is very strange language. Why does he need to add this to his statement. Is this to portray her as a good mother who "checks" on her kids. Thereby, telling us this would not happen on her watch, because, she would be "checking" to see if he was ok, and, not forget he was in the car. Where there is a need to portray, there is often sensitivities.

sidewalk super said...

And she might have been "checking" on the supposed husband, yes?
Like she "checked" "Hot car death",
I wonder did she and the suspect compare notes on their research?
And what exactly was Cooper's mother doing minute by minute while her son was dying?

S + K Mum said...

So the speculation is preventing her returning to work?! Not the inconsolable grief from losing her baby boy in such a horrific manner and that her husband is a lying cheating murdering scumbag?!

Anonymous said...

Why is she having such a hard time "returning" to work if she works from HOME?
sounds like he just wants to garner sympathy for his client who is probably facing future charges JMHO
Cecelia

John Mc Gowan said...

OT.

Some are saying this is another hoax?

Soldier’s fiancée gets hate-filled letter posted on her windscreen in response to her ‘I Love My Soldier’ bumper sticker
Ellen Wilson, of Savannah, Georgia, was shopping at Target when letter was slapped on her car
The venomous note called her a 'b***h' and threatened to slash her tires
Wilson, 23, has now removed her bumper sticker at the request of her fiancée



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2693643/Soldiers-fiancee-hate-filled-letter-posted-windscreen-response-I-Love-My-Soldier-bumper-sticker.html#ixzz37dPEd3YL

Lucy said...

John, Yes, it is another hoax:


https://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/urgent-update-military-fiance-returns-to-her-car-to-find-a-note-on-her-windshield-spewing-hate

Lucy said...

John, to stay with the SA theme, look at this quote from her:

'This is real, and it happened, and I just don’t want it to affect another military spouse,' she added.

Why does she need to convince people that it is real and it happened? Because it isn't and it didn't.

If it was real and if it happened, she would not have used that language, because it would be understood.

rob said...

Odd that he would compare Leanna's reaction to that of Richard Jewel. The reaction of a mother who has lost her only child to a tragic death and that of a man wanted to be a hero, is as different as I can think of.

trustmeigetit said...

"She mourns Cooper's death deeply, in her own private way"

Yes. He even here a knowledges she is not mourning as a normal parent would.

Now, my husbands mom never cried when her oldest daughter died (she was killed by a car bomber in Afghanistan so we know she was not involved) but she was an abusive parent and was never loving to her kids. I to this day believe she does not really love her kids.

My point is that to not be distraught over the loss of a child to me either means you didn't want them around and are maybe responsible or you just do not love them as a parent should.

Either way it's detrimental to the child in some way.

My husband struggled for years to be open with emotions and learn how to really love.

Tania Cadogan said...

in her own private way.


Oops

her attorney isn't helping her by opening his mouth.

He doesn't tell us she is grieving which would be a given and it is known grief affects people in different ways, here he admits her behavior is off by telling us she is grieving in her own way, which apparantly is not the same way every other parent in the same situation would grive,

The fact he introduces it indicates sensitivity, he is aware of how she was seen and heard at the funeral and that her language and behavior were , to say the least, strange.

He seeks so explain away the sensitivities making thus more sensitive.

His client will face charges, what those charges will be i cannot say at this time.
His best bet right now for his client is to do a deal. He may not get immunity which is what he will want, he may be able to get minimal punishment perhaps probabtion or minimal jail time.

Even now it is all about her and how she is the victime and not Cooper who was slowly cooked to death in a hot car.

It may be that ross will see which way the wind is blowing, especially with the death penalty likely to be on the table given the cruel manner of murder of his son. If he wants death off the table he needs to start talking and if it involves telling about his wife's involvement he will go for it.

First to roll wins the prize.

trustmeigetit said...

Speaking of moms... I posted this short video I transcribed but was not sure how many saw it. It was a short clip of Myra Lewis mother.

OT



Myra Lewis mother speaks.

http://www.wjtv.com/story/25581402/exclusive-raw-interview-with-myra-lewis-mom



“Theres a struggle out here for me and my family right now. They just don’t know what we are going through out here. With OUR baby being gone and my children are with someone body else and not in the home with us. “

Long pause as she is seen with tears running down her face.

“I just want all of them, they just don’t understand what I’m going through. I just want my children. My life would be better. I just want them. That’s all I want. I just want them to come home to me. So, I can continue to raise them and help them be the….what they wanna be in life. I just want them to come home. I miss them so much, it’s been 2 months. I just want them so bad. I just want them.



What I find most interesting is she groups them all together. Myra was supposedly kidnapped yet she does not speak out for her. Her other kids were taken from the home, but that can be temporary. They are alive and she knows where they are. Myra is “missing” as far as we know yet she doesn’t speak out directly for her.



There is nothing either about what the kids may be going thru. Espeically Myra if she was
“kidnapped”. She only speaks for her. Which is still better than separating herself. But this article while it is short, seems she only cares for herself.

rob said...

trustmeigetit- Myra Lewis's mother is going thru a hard time, she is struggling. With no kids in the house, no benefits coming in. No check, no food stamps, no rent being paid. Just like she says 'I just want my children. MY life would be better.'

Deejay said...

I often try to look at things from a different way- Just how does one parent approach another with- "Let's kill the son we have and collect the life insurance. We can have other children later"?? Yet the mom's statement about 'leader' of our family sounds like she agreed to just that. The sleeping in our bed and 'full toddler lips' sounds like a kind of goodbye... These people are a mess.

Baxtie said...

I jotted down my thoughts before I read the comments and I was excited to see that I caught some of the things others caught too!

- "She will never again be able to tuck him into bed at night and return later to check on him."
Such odd phrasing! And like John I felt this was a marble that leaked out.

- Like Rob I thought the reference to Richard Jewell came from way out of left field. Why did he need to go back that far? What about another, more recent mother, like, oh, I dunno, CASEY ANTHONY?? Yeah, not a good choice so he had to go all the way back to 1996 to find an example??

A couple of other things I jotted down:

- The lawyer called the baby "him" in the beginning of the statement, while remembering him in life. But as soon as he mentioned death, the baby became "Cooper."

- I find it interesting that this phrase doesn't have an antecedent for the infinitive at the beginning of the sentence: "Dealing with her grief has become more difficult..." It makes me wonder if the lawyer is talking about himself instead of Leanne. Maybe HE thinks "dealing with" the issue of her (lack of) grief is difficult for him!

BostonLady said...

I don't think the Attorney is helping her. He's making some strange statements. The "tucking him in and returning to check on him" is out of left field. It's an odd statement. I would expect him to say "She will miss cuddling with Cooper and reading a book at bedtime"

This caught my attention:

Reporters have delved into Leanna's upbringing, her employment, quizzed people for information about her marriage, and her sex life. The constant attention has prevented her from returning to work.

The constant attention is preventing her from returning to work? Really? She works from HOME. It's not like she is walking out the front door to her car and is being followed by reporters. She doesn't have to leave the house.

Anonymous said...

I think the attoyrney is saying all that ge says on purpose but we cant quite make sense if it because we dont understand his reasons. i think he has a specific agenda.

Unknown said...

Like many others, I am shocked that Leanna's inability to return to work hinges on the issue of media scrutiny, and NOT the soul crushing death of her only child.

And, Richard Jewell...how does that equate to Leanna's situation?? If he is trying to suggest that she is being wrongly tried by the media, and will later be exonerated by evidence against the really perpatrator, then he pretty much just slam dunked her husband whom she is 'fully supporting'. Also for him to acknowledge JRH's guilt, is to acknowledge Leanna's guilt. They both researched the topic, and the most bizarre and guilt indicative behavior has come from Leanna. (Her stating that Ross left the baby in the car as her first response, her 'did you say too much' comment while visiting JRH at the police station rather than going to be with her son, her 'wouldn't bring him back even if I could' eulogy, etc.)

If this is Zimmerman's idea of a plea for privacy, maybe he should take his own advice and zip it. All he accomplished with this statement, was giving more examples of Leanna's bizarre thinking, and self absorbed behavior.

Anonymous said...

Who is this attourney? What are his connections childhood and background?

Amaleen6 said...

Check on him? Like her husband checked on this poor child during his lunch hour to make sure he was dying, in between sexts to various other women?

Buckley said...

It may refer to the lawyer's "dealing with" but it's a gerund phrase that serves as the subject if the sentence. I don't know that we'd expect an antecedent as much as a possessive modifier "her."

H.L said...

Re: the strange reply Leanna Harris allegedly gave to the CCC (child care center) when they called to notify that Conner never arrived.

When people seem like they know exactly what happened and happen to be correct in their initial assessment without questioning, the logical conclusion is that they knew beforehand what would happen and what did happen.

Of course, I haven't heard the conversation myself - only what has been reported - and I know how the media loves to sell a story. Facts and confirmation of the facts be damned. I like evidence, I don't like hearsay. Does anyone have a link to a transcript? The audio file itself?

Lucy said...

OT sort of:

The mom who supposedly left her kids in a hot car so she could get a haircut did not do this. She is on store video shopping with the children minutes before accidentally locking her keys in the car with the kids. She immediately got help, and the children were removed from the car within 5 minutes.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/houston-hot-car-haircut-mom-locked-kids-accident-article-1.1868679

H.L said...

My thanks, Anonymous.

Anonymous said...

I think what the attorney meant was: The mother wants privacy and time to deal and heal.

Not: The mother wants to be harrassed to the brink of suicide so one of these fine reporters can write a book.

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

Uhm...

So, the fact that her toddler son baked to death in the family car because her "sexting" husband forgot him doesn't "prevent her return to work"???? It's only the media attention, people questioning her, her story, and anyone who knows/knew her that keeps her from work. WOW! L-E-A-K-I-N-G marbles via her attorney.

Instead of making her look good, now she looks even more shallow and self-serving than when she supported Ross at Ross' press conference (a.k.a. "Cooper's funeral"). Sickening.

Sarah said...

I too was confused by Zimmerman's statement regarding Leanna no longer being able to check on Cooper after tucking him in at night. I absolutely agree that his words were carefully chosen for a reason, and that part of his statement may have been made to set up a character defense for his client later on if she is (hopefully) ever charged. He might be trying to say that Leanna would never participate in her child's murder, or even accidentally leave him in a car as she was the parent who tucked him in, checked on him, went to his bedroom if he cried at night, etc. I also agree with the commenter who said this (Leanna's grieving or lack thereof) is probably becoming really difficult for the lawyer. JMHO of course. R.I.P. Cooper...

Foolsfeedonfolly said...

It's interesting to note where the attorney chooses to begin Leanna's first parental interaction with "him"...tucking him into bed at night. Is that the only thing she misses about Cooper? It's the only mention of interaction between Leanna and Cooper in the entire statement.

It's significant in that Leanna said Cooper had been having trouble sleeping for two nights and had been tucked in bed "between them [Leanna & Ross]. Why would she need to "return later to check on him"? He was in their bed. Doubly significant is that Leanna seemed to fixate on his "full toddler lips". Of the billions of moments and memories of a toddler's life, these are the only two she mentions. There's a reason for that. Most parents would talk about their child's personality, their inquisitiveness, their bubbly baby talk-toddler speak, their favorite toys/foods/books/videos/cartoon. It's even more significant that Leanna began her account of Cooper at the funeral with how much upheaval he caused ("turned their lives upside down")and detailed out their day at the funeral, noting Mommy time after Cooper went to bed.

Any parent of a toddler knows how stressful it can be when your toddler isn't sleeping. It's particularly stressful when it's a long-running event. Sleepless nights can make for short tempers in the adults and a fractured sleep cycle in the child (setting the stage for a prolonged cycle of sleep issues). It's often a leading factor in child abuse cases and some divorces too (lack of/withholding marital affection)

Factor in a shaky marriage, a self-centered immature husband, that husband actively seeking other women's company and sexting nude pictures of himself, both parties working, and hubby's social life with the guys...it's a volatile mix, a ticking time bomb.

IMO, this is a case of two selfish, self-centered parents, tired of taking care of a "difficult" toddler who was taking up too much of their time and energy. I think Cooper was likely becoming a normal self-willed, independent little guy. I think his parents saw it differently, didn't like it, and couldn't/didn't want to deal with it. From Leanna's description, it sounded like she lived for Mommy time...how sad. JMO

Anonymous said...

" the child she bore" is weird wording too. I would expect -- her sweet baby, her beloved child, her angel, etc. Instead, our initial introduction is cold, distant and factual. Of course, it's followed by the obligatory softening of " and loved every minute" but even there it rings hollow. There is no example of the love-- like the commenter above stated-- no mention of snuggles and laughter, or favorite toys, games, books, nothing. For a guy who's trying to soften the harsh public perception of his client, the statement doesn't do much. It sounds very unnatural.

Anonymous said...

Wow, so many things her lawyer says jumps out at you as strange, not normal speech. Zimmerman is not helping her case, or showing Leanna in a better light. I would imagine she would be unable to work because the grief is overwhelming. Then again, she said if she could bring baby Cooper back she would not - for his own good, so he would not suffer through normal phases of growing up. Shocking how her own words display the depth of her selfishness. Now her lawyer is doing the same. imho

Anonymous said...

Leanna is living a nightmare? A nightmare like being strapped tight and left to bake in a car seat in the heat in your dad's car as planned by your parents??? That kind of nightmare?

Leanna's only 'nightmare' is that Ross winds up admitting her part in all this when he eventually plea-deals to get dp off the table. She knows for now he wont implicate her in order to try to avoid proving premeditation, which would insure the dp; the case still has to be presented to a grand jury...she also knows he isn't going to take the rap alone for what they've done when that time comes and he is facing it. She knows he wont let her walk away with no baby, no him, and his $27,000.

MN L said...

Would Leeanna get the 27,000 insurance payment if/when Justin is found guilty of murdering Cooper?

I am reading this with a sleepy brain. But I am thinking NO!

Anonymous said...

I don't think the insurance money is going anywhere until it is proven to be accidental, not murder. I'm not sure money was the motive, anyway.

Thenn said...

I don't feel like the LIP is the main motive, I feel that the insurance may have been a partial motive though. Perhaps seen as an extra benefit as opposed to being the catalyst?

Why? Murder for insurance tend to have two things in common: there was a tragic accident and there is a corpse left behind. In order to cash in on LI, a person has to be dead, beyond doubt dead.

Cooper's death was meant to seem like an accident. I believe that it was planned ahead (poorly, but planned). I think this is why the "hot car" searches were made (IMO). Research into accidental death leads to an alleged accidental death? ... I don't need to be like Will Graham to know there is something seriously wrong.

Atlchanel said...

Her lawyer uses "difficult" and "impossible " several times. I wonder if he feels it may be difficult or impossible to defend Leanne.

Atlchanel said...

I was thinking about her comment "full toddler lips". Could it be that night that she was just studying his face, focusing on his breathing because she knew it would be the last time she would see him alive? She decided that would be the way she would remember him peaceful with little cherub lips. She mentions him "breathing in her face". I remember something about "a living, breathing Haliegh" said by Billie Dunn.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it illegal to send photos of your penis to a minor? Just curious, that's all.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Anonymous said...
Isn't it illegal to send photos of your penis to a minor? Just curious, that's all.
July 17, 2014 at 7:44 PM

I think we should hear of charges soon.

Let's hope so!

Peter

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Atlchanel said...
Her lawyer uses "difficult" and "impossible " several times. I wonder if he feels it may be difficult or impossible to defend Leanne.
July 17, 2014 at 6:50 PM


Very keen insight. This is the type of comment that shows listening skill. It is speculation that can only be confirmed with more words, but the commentator is on the right track. The brain knows what it knows.

Even as it is speculation, I agree.



Atlchanel said...
I was thinking about her comment "full toddler lips". Could it be that night that she was just studying his face, focusing on his breathing because she knew it would be the last time she would see him alive? She decided that would be the way she would remember him peaceful with little cherub lips. She mentions him "breathing in her face". I remember something about "a living, breathing Haliegh" said by Billie Dunn.
July 17, 2014 at 7:06 PM >>

Again, keen observation.

Peter

Anonymous said...

I remember something about "a living, breathing Haliegh" said by Billie Dunn.

^^^^^
actually she spelled her daughter's name as "Hailey".
when she said that, she was mimicking MARC KLAAS as he had stated it that way a prior.

Atlchanel said...

Thank you for the correct spelling. It's been so long since I followed the case. I couldn't remember where the quote came from. I didn't know she was being sarcastic. There are way too many of theses horrible cases.

Juliette said...

On the facebook page 'Justice for Cooper Harris' I saw a picture of Cooper's grave. There was a vase with dead flowers in it, that's all.

Someone named Ben McRea went and put flowers and a toy fire truck on it and tweeted the picture, and it probably looks much less forlorn since the facebook group became aware of the desolate sight Cooper's grave was and shared it.


Leanna is not grieving. Cooper's barren grave is poignant proof to me of how unloved Cooper was by his whole family. Her lawyer might want to clue her in on how we truly grieve.




I did a reverse search at the white pages for the number listed as the graveyard's number and it lists the number is for Tuscaloosa Memorial Park and the Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel.

R.I.P. Cooper xo


The address for the graveyard is:


5434 Old Birmingham Hwy
Tuscaloosa, Alabama USA
Postal Code: 35404
Phone: (205) 553-3141

The link for a local florist there is:

http://www.tuscaloosaflowershoppe.com/


Here are the 2 pictures of Cooper's grave, 1 is from before Ben McRea placed the flowers and toy, 1 is of it after.


http://imgur.com/d0hJTTu
http://imgur.com/01MVOjF

Anonymous said...

FYI, L. Lin Wood's first big client was - surprise - Richard Jewell. Wood is the attorney LH is meeting with to talk about defamation lawsuits.

Atlchanel said...

Thank you, Peter. :)