Before the defense presented a single witness, a judge dismissed all charges against an Alabama man accused of killing his wife on a honeymoon diving trip to Australia. Judge Tommy Nail granted a defense motion for acquittal of the murder charges against Gabe Watson for the death of his wife Tina.In 2008, Watson pleaded guilty to Australian manslaughter charges and served time in prison in the same case.
At the end of the prosecution's case, Watson's attorneys filed a motion for a judgment of acquittal due to a lack of evidence. Such a motion is routinely filed in most trials, but Judge Nail surprised everyone in court Thursday.
Defense Motion for Dismissal Granted
"I'm going to grant the defendant's motion for acquittal. This case is dismissed," Nail said.
The prosecution was stunned at the ruling.
"I strongly disagree with him," Prosecutor Don Valeska said of Nail. "I'm just extremely stunned, and I'm at a loss for words. This case is over forever."
Tina Watson's father, Tommy Thomas said he was very disappointed with the judge's decision.
'No Consideration for Victim'
"There just seems to be a lot more protection for the accused than there does consideration for the victim, which in this case was Tina," Thomas told reporters.
Tina Watson died October 22, 2003, 11 days after the couple was married in Birmingham, while they were diving near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Prosecutors claimed that Gabe Watson turned off his wife's oxygen supply, letting her sink to the bottom of the sea.
But the only eye witness that the prosecution presented during the trial said he believed Watson was trying to rescue his wife.
In 2008, after Watson remarried, he pleaded guilty in Australia to criminally negligent manslaughter. He served 18 months in prison.
In October 2010, an Alabama grand jury indicted him for murder for pecuniary gain and kidnapping where a felony occurred. He was arrested in November 2010 when he was returned to the United States.
See Also:
Murder Case Dismissed in Death of Newlywed Wife
Background:
The Death of Tina Watson
Forum:
Discuss The Watson Case
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Photo: Family Photo
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