Diving Murderer Pleads to Manslaughter

[Laura]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25594452-3102,00.html

Father furious at sentence for Gabe Watson over dive death

THE father of a woman whose husband was charged with murdering her during their north Queensland honeymoon has slammed authorities for letting him plead guilty to a charge that will allow him to serve only one year in jail.

US national David "Gabe" Watson, 32, appeared in the Supreme Court in Brisbane yesterday to answer a charge of murdering his wife Christina "Tina" May Watson, 26, while they were diving on the Great Barrier Reef near Townsville on October 23, 2003.

When called on to enter a plea, Watson pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. "(I plead) not guilty to murder, (but) guilty to manslaughter," Watson told a stunned courtroom.

Watson was sentenced to four and a half years' jail, to be suspended after one year in custody.

Tina's father, Tommy Thomas, said it was an "embarrassment" and "ludicrous" that Gabe Watson had been allowed to avoid a jury's decision on murder.

"We believe Gabe Watson murdered our daughter. We'll continue to believe that," he said outside court.

"This is in no way, shape or form a beginning to get justice for my daughter.

"We are in total shock at what has transpired. What has happened is ludicrous . . . and an embarrassment."

Mr Thomas said it was a disgrace Watson had been allowed to make himself out to have been a victim.

"He is allowed to take the easy way out," he said.

"After 5½ years he gets up and says he panicked."

Mr Thomas, Tina's sister Alanda and close friend Amanda Phillips, flew from Alabama this week to attend Watson's arraignment.

Watson's new wife½ declined to comment after the hearing.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Watson, who avoided eye contact with Tina's family, winked at his new wife as he strolled toward the court cells.

During the sentencing, Prosecutor Brendan Campbell said Watson's role in the unlawful killing of his wife was his breach of duty as her dive buddy by not giving her oxygen.

The court was told Tina, a novice diver with only four months' experience, panicked and sank while participating in a difficult advance-rated dive on the shipwreck Yongala, 48 nautical miles southeast of Townsville

Mr Campbell said rather than grab his wife, as was his duty as a dive buddy and certified rescue diver, he allowed her to sink to the reef's floor. He said Watson also failed in his duty to remove her weight belts or inflate her buoyancy vest.

"By not remaining with (his wife) . . . (there) was a significant breach of his duty as a buddy," Mr Campbell said.

"He virtually extinguished any chance of her survival."

Watson told police Tina had knocked his mask off and then had sank too quickly for him to retrieve her. But the Crown said it would not have been possible for her to sink rapidly.

Coroner David Glasgow charged Watson with murder last June and the American voluntarily returned to Australia in May.

Mr Campbell said Watson was still facing a murder charge when he voluntarily surrendered and that the lesser charge of manslaughter was not agreed until after his arrival.

Barrister Steve Zillman, for Watson, said his client did not intend to kill his wife.

He said Watson returned to the surface to raise the alarm and get help.

Justice Peter Lyons said he accepted Watson loved his then-wife and was devastated by her death, but that he alone was responsible for her unlawful killing. "The responsibility for this loss is yours alone," he said.

 

[bubie2.5]

Wow! With that sentence, if you're going to comit a crime, Queensland seems like the perfect place to do it.

 

[Robinrs]

True, but the ones that really are galling are the women who KNOW what these men have done and swoop in anyway. Remember the women flocking to the trials of Ted Bundy and Richard Ramirez (Night Stalker) offering themselves in marriage? Bundy married one on the stand and Ramirez married one later on. Maybe the women knew it was safe because those guys were dangerous but were never getting out and could never harm them, but when I think of the ones hooking up with the likes of this guy and Drew Peterson, I'm just baffled.

So true.

In my life the one thing I find consistent especially with young women is they really believe their relationship will be DIFFERENT with a man because they are better than HER. What they don't realize is the one common denominator is the man, not HER.

Woman are brought up to believe in the Prince Charming nonsense. Every woman was not brought up by Prince Charming though or have a representative what what a man is. They meet these buffoons, who are in the most part very charming and they believe that they can change them because they LOVE them... yeah RIGHT!

 

[minniebeth]

I agree with others that the photos are just chilling...
so many times we read about stories that are horrible but details are left up to our imaginations...the photos in this case put it all right out there.

Very sad!

 

[DarthKTrava]

There are things I could say about scum like this but I'd get points for sure.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I think Dateline is showing this story tonight.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I saw this story on a news outlet last year (?). Heartbreaking. And the family goes through that heartbreak again knowing he basically got away with it.

ETA- I'm going to watch Dateline tonight.
Thanks, Luvsmickeymouse.

 

[DawnCt1]

I believe he was a certified dive instructor. He, himself, would be someone who could have / would have been able to help someone in distress.

I heard the year sentence this morning on the news. I was floored. Just flipping floored.

Worse than that! He was a certified RESCUE DIVER!

 

[bumbershoot]

OMG, he's already remarried!

On the one hand, it's been almost 6 years. On the other, who marries someone under suspicion then trial for murdering his first wife???!!!!

The pic of her laying dead on the sea floor creeps me out.

I hate that picture too. If she weren't wearing scuba gear there's no way the picture would be shown, but it's like they think she isn't real or something...I wish that picture wasn't allowed to be shown...

I think that the photographer didn't realize what he was recording at the time, just taking pictures.

I agree.


I read in the article that his method of helping her was to go up to find someone else to help her. Strange choice!

 

[teskak]

Aussies are not too happy either, but obviously the evidence was not sufficient to convict on either wilful murder (I mean to kill you and I have planned it), murder (I want to kill you and it happened) and only on manslaughter (killing was a possibility from my actions) means the penalty wil be lower.

Not happy, but if the alternate was he got off through being found not guilty or murder... that would be a really bad thing.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Worse than that! He was a certified RESCUE DIVER!

Note to divers: if he comes up to be your buddy, RUN!!!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

Did anyone see the Dateline on this case last night? It was pretty good and pretty detailed.

 

[dhcoffey]

I actually just finished watching it. I can't believe he essentially got away with it. The thing that just got me, though, was him removing the flowers her family put on her grave. He's unbelievable.

Heather

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Did anyone see the Dateline on this case last night? It was pretty good and pretty detailed.

Yes, I saw it. I agree, was worth watching. I can't believe he is remarried.

 

[DawnCt1]

I actually just finished watching it. I can't believe he essentially got away with it. The thing that just got me, though, was him removing the flowers her family put on her grave. He's unbelievable.

Heather

That was awful! What a hideous excuse for a human being.

 

[teskak]

QUEENSLAND'S attorney-general is considering appealing the sentence given to an American man over the scuba-diving death of his wife on the Great Barrier Reef in 2003.
David Gabriel Watson, 32, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years' jail on Friday after pleading guilty in the Queensland Supreme Court in Brisbane to the manslaughter of Christina (Tina) while on their honeymoon in north Queensland.

He had been charged with murder, to which he pleaded not guilty, but crown persecutors accepted the plea to the lesser charge.

Watson will serve 12 months behind bars before he is released on a suspended sentence.

Attorney-General Cameron Dick has asked for the sentencing remarks, and will consider lodging an appeal.

Shadow Attorney-General Lawrence Springborg has told the ABC the Government should examine the Watson case.

"Obviously, the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) had decided they would enter into a plea agreement, and a lot of people will be shaming their heads, particularly the family of the victim," he said.

US authorities have expressed their outrage over the leniency of the sentence.

_______________________-

So there might be some changes to that sentance

 

[OceanAnnie]

I saw Dateline. The case is so disheartening. I hope they do appeal the sentence. The husband deserves so much more time for what he did.

The fact that he asked for his wife to increase the insurance to the max and change the beneficiary to him before the wedding seemed like his motive to me. I really felt for the bride and her family. The case is chilling.

I thought the video clip of the husband removing the flowers with bolt clippers was revealing. Who does something like that?!