Watson Murder Case - Discussion

[burna]

I was right - the fact that Australia said they could not trust Alabama started a real political hot potato. As far as I am concerned - Australia started the whole non-trust issue:

"The Australian can reveal the deportation was to have taken place today, despite a senior Immigration Department official admitting federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland "did not believe that it was safe to rely upon the assurances" of Alabama authorities that Watson would not be executed after a murder trial on his return to his home town."

Source: Gabe Watson told: sign 'death warrant' | The Australian

Yes but that article is dated the 11th. In a later article (that you linked to - see below) dated the 12th McClelland said...

"I have never adopted the position, nor has my department provided advice to the effect, that the assurances provided by the Alabama Attorney-General to the Queensland Attorney-General are 'not safe'," McClelland said in a written statement.

Alabama politics overturns no death penalty agreement for killer | The Australian

 

[sydney-diver]

I was right - the fact that Australia said they could not trust Alabama started a real political hot potato. As far as I am concerned - Australia started the whole non-trust issue

Assuming you're talking about the Australian federal government, whatever trust they do or don't have in Alabama is irrelevent. As has been stated many times, the Australian Federal Government is bound by it's own judicial system which require it to seek assurences from the US federal government. Not Alabama, not any of the other 49 US states - the US federal government. Gabe is also entitled to apply for asylum here, and again the Australian government must consider that request (which personally I hope they reject). Stop trying to find a conspiracy. Stop assuming a foreign soverign government has any obligation to you. We don't need to be told by the US how to run our government and legal system.

 

[K_girl]

So - let's say the U.S. Government gives their assurance to Australia's federal government that they will not put Watson to death. Do you all think that should settle the issue and they should proceed with deportation? Do you think Australia will accept Alabama's previous written agreement as being "safe" (i.e. truthful)? As Burna and I pointed to two different quotes that directly contradict each other about Australia's attorney general belief that Alabama's agreement was safe or not. Hopefully, he will not go back on his last quote.

Looks like it could take a couple of months to straighten this out. We don't know whether or not at this point, Australia will let Watson go free on a temporary visa. Waton's attorney has made it clear they intend to apply for one.

 

[burna]

US promises not to execute Watson: lawyer - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Watson's Australian lawyer Adrian Braithwaite says the Immigration Department has now told him those assurances have been given from the US federal government and his client will be deported, but no date has been given.

 

[toddthecat]

Australia to deport US man wanted in wife's death - Yahoo! News

 

[bowlofpetunias]

TV News report this evening states USA assurances that he will not be facing the death penalty have been received and he will be deported tomorrow. He will be held in detention until then. Sure a lot of to do over nothing but a technicality.. see.. no conspiracy...no massive unfair delays and no international incident.. just the wheels of bureaucracy turning in their normal slow and methodical way!

 

[knowone]

We just needed the extra time to develop a believable cardboard cutout humanoid one dimensional clone, more stupid than him.

Just in case.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have a question for the attorneys, of which I am clearly not one.

As I understand it, even though the alleged murder took place in Australia, Alabama is claiming jurisdiction based on the theory that he hatched the plot in Alabama and carried it out in Australia.

Will they have to prove that the plot was hatched in Alabama as well as prove he committed murder?

 

[K_girl]

boulderjohn - that will be an issue that will be hashed out in motions before trial. It would be a jurisdictional issue. If Watson's attorneys could show that Alabama did not prove that Watson hatched it as a plot from Alabama, then there would be no trial.

Watson's defense attorneys will probably argue that even though Watson requested that Tina change her insurance to up the amount and put him on it and he attempted to collect from a travel insurance policy - that does not prove what was going on in his mind. The judge during pre-trial motions may decide to let the jury adjudicate that issue and then it would actually become part of the trial, but less to the issue of jurisdiction and more to the issue of motive.

Good question.

 

[K_girl]

Watson is trying to stay in Australia and wants to apply for assylum:

Honeymoon killer wants to see deal or stay | The Australian