Watson Murder Case - Discussion

[alohagal]

Prosecution insurance-profit motive put in doubt, witnesses refute Gabe Watson's story of how wife died in Australian honeymoon | al.com
News report of Doug Milsap on witness stand today. The two other witnesses in this story are for the prosecution...but it does not come across that way in the reporting.

 

[K_girl]

Why would he attempt to kill her on such a busy dive sight, with so many potential witnesses around?

If he was only after money and self interest and loved diving so much, why would he attempt to kill her on the very first dive? Why not milk the trip to Australia as much as possible and kill her on the 12th dive, and then run home for the insurance money?

Apparently from Watson's statement to police, he appeared nervous that other people could see him:
"The oddest part of Watson's statement related to the critical minute before he separated from Tina for the last time. He said he was breathing hard and feeling heat on his face, and sensed someone watching him.

"I was thinking those people could see us or at least think something odd was going on," he said. But earlier Detective Senior Constable Gehringer had asked him if there were any other divers nearby.
"I don't think there was anybody'" Watson said."

Source: Gabe Watson 'hung out and asked for hugs' on other dive boat as others tried to save Tina's life | The Courier-Mail

The odd thing about that statement could be interpreted as Watson fishing to find out if anyone saw anything and what did they see, supposedly so he could form his story to match.

Regarding milking the trip for all the dives before killing someone - I suppose you could say if he wanted to get it over with and that would be a good reason (in Watson's mind) for someone to think he is innocent. Maybe by the end of the trip, Tina would have more experience and be able to defend herself better.

 

[alohagal]

Prosecution insurance-profit motive put in doubt, witnesses refute Gabe Watson's story of how wife died in Australian honeymoon | al.com

s j February 17, 2012 at 3:22PM

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I can understand that you're a friend of Gabes, just try and protect his parents, they did nothing wrong except try to protect their son. Gabe made his bed, now he has to lie in it. His little plan didn't work out the way he liked. To many people watching. Gods watching to Gabe. All the facts to convict Gabe are all there. You just have to know how to talk Scuba. 3minutes to make 15metres is not even a snails pace. You yourself walk 15 metres and see how long it takes. What a laugh. Tinas hose is coming from underneath her body, not over her shoulder. It came from a dropped position and placed in her hand. I only saw the dive profile yesterday and it made me sick. Its an exicutioners profile. It showed he was on top of her the whole time and at 10.31.15 Gabe made his move. 1.15minutes into the dive. Look at the photo again. Dont zoom in all the way. It is pixcilated but you can see it definately. Mask on forehead, Reg. in right hand, hose coming from underneath her body. Gabe is going to jail. Other people have seen that photo to. You're a bad man Gabe. You'll have plenty of time to think of you're actions in the big house.

The above is a readers post listed after the recent news article today. This poster states he/she saw the dive profile today.

Nevermind...looks like he saw it on McFayden's blog!

s j February 17, 2012 at 3:10PM

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Dont read http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/viewpage.php?page_id=791. Its got some fact but its incorrect
The only thing of any importance in that is the dive profile. Its shows at 10.31.15 Tina knew something was wrong. It shows exactly what happened. Any diver who has studied this case knows your guilty.
Anyway Tina didn't have a mask on and her Regulator is purging in her right hand. I thought everything was on and working. It wasn't. Dont believe me look for yourself. Go to google-images type in 9781405040129 and you will see the honeymoon dive photo. Copy and paste it to your desk top. open it in the windows photo viewer. Zoom in on Tina. You can see her face, Eyes, mouth, Mask on forehead and Regulator purging in her right hand. Can this be sent to the police so Gabe can finally be put behind bars, I feel sorry for both sets of parents.

I really wonder with posters like the above...if the jury is going to side with emotion or really look at this from an ubiased point of view. After Casey Anthony aquittal I would think it would take much more than what the prosecution has presented thus far. However, it could be a coin toss with juries these days. I am curious to know what the judge thinks at this point and if it will even be sent to the jury to decide.

 

[alohagal]

Apparently from Watson's statement to police, he appeared nervous that other people could see him:
"The oddest part of Watson's statement related to the critical minute before he separated from Tina for the last time. He said he was breathing hard and feeling heat on his face, and sensed someone watching him.

"I was thinking those people could see us or at least think something odd was going on," he said. But earlier Detective Senior Constable Gehringer had asked him if there were any other divers nearby.
"I don't think there was anybody'" Watson said."

Source: Gabe Watson 'hung out and asked for hugs' on other dive boat as others tried to save Tina's life | The Courier-Mail

The odd thing about that statement could be interpreted as Watson fishing to find out if anyone saw anything and what did they see, supposedly so he could form his story to match.

Regarding milking the trip for all the dives before killing someone - I suppose you could say if he wanted to get it over with and that would be a good reason (in Watson's mind) for someone to think he is innocent. Maybe by the end of the trip, Tina would have more experience and be able to defend herself better.

Also, it is apparent that he had 5 days to think about his statement. Especially in light of two divers telling him he was full of BS and had better change his story. Hmmmm....he could still be not guilty...but now concerned about how his story comes across to others. I know when I have debriefed with my dive buddy after an "incident" we don't always agree on the details.

 

[Divedoggie]

There is dangerous testimony going on there.

Dr Milsap reports that "panicking divers always go to the surface."
When asked who goes to the bottom he reports' " dead or unconscious divers.".

The story that I related a few post ago completely refutes that testimony. I call bull**** on Milsap!

Now where is that magic button again?

So, he took an accelerated Rescue course and practiced in a quarry 4 years before the incident? 4 years? When the chips were down and it really counted 4 years later, he was out of practice and inadequate.

Why did he react the way he did back on the boat? Tina was on another boat. Gabe already screwed everything up, he probably thought it best to stay out of the way. He also probably knew that things were grim, and he just couldn't face it. The scrutiny would expose him as inadequate, cowardly, etc,. And his ego couldn't take it. We already know that he is a strange bird!

Watson may very well have not been clear on exactly what happened. His stories reflect a guy wanting to look like he did everything possible, not necessarily trying to cover up.

 

[alohagal]

I would rather see a guilty man go free than an innocent man go to prison. That would be the ultimate travesty. Can you imagine if this guy is truly, and really and without a doubt not guilty the hell he has gone through. I don't know if my life and everything I have said and done would bear this kind of scrutiny.

 

[Ayisha]

...The reporter asked me in private emails what I thought of the case. Whew...tried to summarize all these posts on scubaboard. He seemed to have never heard of scubaboard but was eager to hear about the analysis. Told him that initially some of us bought into the salacious reporting on this story...but as people dug futher and in great exhausting detail most reasonable people could not find him guilty at this point. Ultimately, I view the majority concensus as in line with your excellent summation post a few pages up! Too bad all you savvy divers aren't reporters too.

Please don't speak for the rest of us, who are probably not a minority, btw. Can we have the reporter's email so we can correct the misinformation he's been given?

The fact that the same few people are screaming the same things over and over regardless of what the facts are or aren't does not make them a majority. There are those few that give their opinion constantly regarding the conclusion of the case and those who simply want access to as many facts and as much information as possible.

There has been so much misinformation bandied about in the last couple of weeks that I can't even be bothered to respond to it. Talk about an inaccurate recall of past events or articles even in this thread alone. I appreciate K-Girl's tenacity and patience in attempting to deal with some of the misinformation.

 

[alohagal]

I watched "Cry in the Dark" again the other day. If you have never seen it...it a true story that shows how the innocent can be convicted based on rumor mill, public outrage and a defendant appearing as an "odd duck." The poor woman is still trying to clear her family name.

 

[alohagal]

Please don't speak for the rest of us, who are probably not a minority, btw. Can we have the reporter's email so we can correct the misinformation he's been given?

The fact that the same few people are screaming the same things over and over regardless of what the facts are or aren't does not make them a majority. There are those few that give their opinion constantly regarding the conclusion of the case and those who simply want access to as many facts and as much information as possible.

There has been so much misinformation bandied about in the last couple of weeks that I can't even be bothered to respond to it. Talk about an inaccurate recall of past events or articles even in this thread alone. I appreciate K-Girl's tenacity and patience in attempting to deal with some of the misinformation.

Certainly...you can have his email. I think I posted it. And in no way did I try to speak for others. Sorry I gave that impression. And for full disclosure...get this: K-girl is my sister! You can only imagine the fun conversations we have had with each other over the years. Especially on our dive trips!!

BTW: She took the avatar photo of me and the flag on the Oriskany in Florida. She is a great photographer. We just don't always agree or see eye to eye on everything.

 

[alohagal]

Eric T. Velasco​

Metro Reporter​

Birmingham News Multimedia Company​

evelasco@bhamnews.com
​