Watson Murder Case - Discussion

[ItsBruce]

See post 1775 above. Too many people have bought in to the trial by media, trial by angry bereaved family and the "Give him a fair trial then hang him" mentality. The Judge did his job! He considered the evidence, disallowed information that was not appropriate then made a ruling according to His Duty! The half truths, intentional and unintentional misleading information have been so badly twisted that Truth has become the greatest victim.

TWO COURTS have decided the man is not guilty of deliberately murdering his wife because the EVIDENCE BEFORE THOSE COURTS (not the evidence as it has been doctored by others with their own agendas) DID NOT SUPPORT a FINDING of GUILTY of MURDER!

Here is an interesting fact. Gabe WATSON is NOT Guilty of Murder until a legally conducted court declares him so. Two courts failed to be able to justify that finding so HE is a FREE man because he not Guilty therefor innocent of the charges.

Lets all stop and think for a moment.. put ourselves in his shoes. He overestimated his skill (many people do). He didn't handle the situation well when the "ship hit the sand". He surfaces to get help (remember rescue 101 to become a second victim). He confides in someone who claims to be "Expert" and they pick him apart with misinformation. The man is reeling from what just happened and his wife is on another boat being worked on. Someone else tells you that what he just experienced couldn't have happened. You know they are experienced divers and you start doubting yourself. You can't face watching the people work on your wife so you hold back and second guess yourself for that. Then the interviews and media twist everything you say. Then the family that never really liked you launches a campaign. You are innocent and get angry about how this is all playing out and do some stupid things. This Hell goes on and on but you dare not say anything to defend yourself.. nor can your family. You go through 8 years of this.. finally are vidicated but the lynch mob wont go away. The stain on your name and reputation will not go away.

How much more punishment does he deserve? Yep he failed to measure up to the hero status most people think they would display. He will always live with that but think for a minute how it would feel to be him? I say he has paid enough. Consider this... if he is such a vile terrible person.. how on earth did he find someone who knew the whole story and still fell in love with him and married him in spite of all this. Don't you think that has to say something about his character and that maybe he isn't as bad as the campaigners saw him?

Sorry but I am getting tired of biting my tongue and trying to use reason to encourage people to consider both sides. Both have suffered. I don't doubt both are commited to their positions isn't it time to let them heal now? Rant over! :doh:

1. You really. Should send this to all the media outlets, especially Dateline.

2. I wish I had the clarity of thought and skill to write this.

3. When the right case comes my way, I want you on my team.

 

[DandyDon]

Yes...some of the salacious news reporting here on television still misidentifies GABE as the diver in the foreground of the infamous photo of Tina lying on the bottom. Heard it again on news(gossip)reporting yesterday. They had Tina's cousin discussing very old talking points about Gabe and what he did. The family, is truly convinced that Gabe is guilty of murder.

Now, I have not followed everything here as closely as some of y'all, but I missed that! I thought that was Gabe in the front of that pic. Not huh...??

Tina's family wanted a fair trial and verdict. Done deal - it's over. Shut up losers...!!

 

[clownfishsydney]

I am amazed that anyone could have ever thought that it was Gabe in the photo as it was never claimed anywhere that I saw, let alone still think it now. It is Dawn Asano, the wife of Gary Stempler who took the photo. I even read some lunatic on another forum claiming that they could tell that Tina's mask and reg were off her face from looking at the photo. I have the original photo (full size and with original dating) and even zooming in you cannot see anything. If you want to ask any questions, post here and I will attempt to answer. Please do not put too many in your post, as I will only have a short time each day to answer (so long as I have WiFi access while driving across the US).

 

[~zeroed~]

There was no trial in Australia. Gabe pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Also, there is no appeal in the US. Criminal case is completely over. However, the family does have the option to file for a civil trial because he was acquitted in the criminal trial. Just like the OJ fiasco.

Just as the Watson family have to right to sue because of all the misinformation being bandied about?


I've not been on any side in this case. I'm new to posting on this board but I've been reading the Watson threads for some time and a few things have worried me. I haven't commented until today, didn't want to, but I am going to make some personal observations:

1. Why is this thread called the Watson Murder Case when it was started in 2009? Is it because he'd already been tried and found guilty by the media and those on the internet?

2. To my (legal) way of thinking people have found him guilty because he was tried in the media. Some of the earlier comments I find offensive: egs, (in no particular order ) "...give him the max for manslaughter"; "The bastard got off easy no matter how you cut it"; "Manslaughter instead of murder? Come on!?"; "It would seem he was guilty"; etc, etc.

3. While people are entitled to their opinion, it has to be based on fact, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty. I think no-one should be commented on in such a manner from the (relative) anonymity of the internet. Fortunately that will be changing.

4. I feel for Watson AND for Tina and her family who seem incapable of moving on. But Watson has been tried by the media over and over again and been found guilty by them, and others, many times. As the court found, there is no evidence. I know there will be those who will not accept the verdict, and I see they are already commenting on here. I would ask them to consider how they would feel if they were hounded for 8-9 years and their guilt "assumed."

What would you prefer? That we get rid of the legal system? That Watson be hung because he's been tried on the internet and in the media and found guilty no matter what? Watson may never get his life back. Is that justice? I don't believe it is.

I want to quote Justice Megan Latham who made a comment on an acquittal here last Friday: " Speculation, conjecture, and suspicion can never amount to proof beyond reasonable doubt". We all need to remember that when commenting anywhere I believe.

That's all I want to say, except a thank you to Michael MacFadyen for his blog and I hope he adds to it when he gets home.

 

[DandyDon]

Zeroed, I don't recall anyone on this thread stating that he was guilty, at least not since the trail started...?

I am amazed that anyone could have ever thought that it was Gabe in the photo as it was never claimed anywhere that I saw, let alone still think it now. It is Dawn Asano, the wife of Gary Stempler who took the photo. I even read some lunatic on another forum claiming that they could tell that Tina's mask and reg were off her face from looking at the photo. I have the original photo (full size and with original dating) and even zooming in you cannot see anything. If you want to ask any questions, post here and I will attempt to answer. Please do not put too many in your post, as I will only have a short time each day to answer (so long as I have WiFi access while driving across the US).

I don't know where I got that idea, sorry. As far "they could tell that Tina's mask and reg were off her face from looking at the photo," that was indeed posted here a week or so ago by someone. I asked where I could find that pic in high res so I could try zooming in, but no answer.

 

[alohagal]

Zeroed, I don't recall anyone on this thread stating that he was guilty, at least not since the trail started...?


I don't know where I got that idea, sorry. As far "they could tell that Tina's mask and reg were off her face from looking at the photo," that was indeed posted here a week or so ago by someone. I asked where I could find that pic in high res so I could try zooming in, but no answer.

Dandydon...that was some idiot on the Internet making that claim. It was just a cyberpunk scam between warring posters while the trial was going on. Like I said the first time. Hogwash.

 

[Foxfish]

Welcome back Clownfishsydney,

What information could be gained about Tina's dive profile from her dive computer? How often did her computer sample depth and time? I've spent a fair amount of time reading your website and this aspect was not clear.

 

[alohagal]

I am amazed that anyone could have ever thought that it was Gabe in the photo as it was never claimed anywhere that I saw, let alone still think it now. It is Dawn Asano, the wife of Gary Stempler who took the photo. I even read some lunatic on another forum claiming that they could tell that Tina's mask and reg were off her face from looking at the photo. I have the original photo (full size and with original dating) and even zooming in you cannot see anything. If you want to ask any questions, post here and I will attempt to answer. Please do not put too many in your post, as I will only have a short time each day to answer (so long as I have WiFi access while driving across the US).

I have seen the photo misidentified on several talk shows in the US. Usually by "talking heads" one of which was a celebrity lawyer. That person went on to state that Gabe was a certified master diver, instead of the usual certified rescue diver. Both statements imply much more experience than what is reality with those kinds of certifications encouraged in a quickie class by PADI.

BTW: Are you driving through Colorado????

 

[clownfishsydney]

Tina's computer was not capable of being downloaded. All that can be ascertained was the depth and time.

Do you know a Rescue Diver can have as little as 5 dives!

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks AG. If you mentioned that at the time, I missed it.

Tina's computer was not capable of being downloaded. All that can be ascertained was the depth and time.

He had the fancy wireless computer with a battery in wrong, but she had a cheapo that couldn't download. No guilt there, but interesting.

Do you know a Rescue Diver can have as little as 5 dives!

Huh? It takes 4 for OW, 5 more for AOW, then a few more for RD if I remember my Padi training correctly there. Still, it can be accomplished by a greenhorn newbie, sure - and he did seem well out of place.