Watson Murder Case - Discussion

[bsee65]

News Report:

Senior prosecutor Brendan Campbell asked that Watson be sentenced to five years jail, to serve 18 months. Watson's defence team has asked for a jail term of four years, to serve 16 months.

He said WatsonÃÔ actions represented a gross breach of duty in his role as TinaÃÔ dive buddy and as a certified rescue diver.

Source: Watson pleads guilty to honeymoon death - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The thing that really sucks about this is that it basically says that Watson didn't kill his wife. That quote says it was an accident, but Watson could have, and should have, acted to save his wife's life. He's guilty of failing to assist her, not of causing her death.

Now, if that's what really happened, that he panicked and let her die, then he's taking a hard hit for it. I think the majority here don't believe that and will feel it to be unjust. I know that this explanation makes the verdict and sentence even less satisfying to me as a person who believes he planned and was directly responsible for her death.

 

[scubafanatic]

.....two observations:

WOW, this guy's actually married AGAIN ??? !!! ...I really hate to say this, but WHEN ( notice I'm not saying 'if' ) something bad happens to this latest wife, I will find it hard to feel sorry for anyone that terminally STUPID....but h*ll, she's gotta be brain-dead already !

...what's the ETA on this guy's 'book and movie' deal ?

 

[vladimir]

No books, no movies. Maybe a special by Nancy Grace if you can stomach an hour of that trash. The only place he is a celebrity is on the Scubaboard, so I doubt there's a market for his story. Maybe NetDoc will give him his own forum.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Bowl of...

Now, now... No need to do that. Disagreements are healthy afterall. And biting your tongue can lead to serious injury, don't you know?

ItBruce

IÃÅ heard about this organization but hadnÃÕ gotten the time to read through it until about now. Thanks for reminding me just before the summer holiday.

Cheers!

Davocate maybe your name should be Devils'Advocate... love playing that role don't you?:blinking:

I tried to respond to this a few hours ago but my internet dropped out when I tried to send. I said it much better the first time..

Check the time of the posts.... my response was to IB post not yours. My slightly twisted sense of humour gets me in trouble. I was trying to figure out a way to ask if my jointing an organization that is trying to correct the wrongs of the (apparently) grievously flawed (according to them) American Judicial System was relative to this thread.

As a dual Canadian/Australian citizen I am not sure they would welcome my help in changing the American Judicial System. Since I am strongly opposed to the Death Penalty and neither of MY countries use it.. maybe I could help with that? It is hard for people to keep launching appeals after that sentence is carried out but I fail to see how that relates to the Australian Judicial System as a whole or this case in particular:blinking:

My speculation would be that he went to Australia thinking they didn't have enough to convict him. All the talk was of him going there to plead innocent and clear his name. Once there and in custody, maybe he was confronted with some additional evidence or other factors that led him and his solicitor to believe his chances weren't as good as he thought. At that point, some kind of deal would have been his best bet. This could have been the case whether he were guilty or not.

OMG now that is a stretch... but hey.. why not a new conspiracy theory Not sure about your judicial system but :shocked2:

Hey All,

This is my first post to the forums... I actually signed up so that I could jump into this discussion. I'm an Aussie DM and have dived the Yongala a few times, so I've followed this one with interest.

The Townsville Bulletin have a link on their website to the Police interview transcripts and they make very interesting reading. Unfortunately, this forum wont allow me to post the direct link URL until I've made 5 posts, but if you google "Townsville Bulletin Gabe Watson" you should find it.

The difference between murder and manslaughter as I understand it is that murder is a pre-meditated killing. By pleading guilty to manslaughter he is accepting responsibility for her death. If you read the transcripts you will quickly become aware that this guy was totally incompetent as a diver despite his rescue certification. The transcript reveals a worrying ignorance of diving fundamentals. His failing in leaving her for dead (or possibly having panicked, struggled with her and then leaving her for dead as seems likely to me) makes him responsible not only as a certified rescue diver but as a human being.

One can only hope that it is his own recognition of these realities that led him to enter the guilty plea.

Welcome to ScubaBoard CameraFish it's a great forum

I've been "following this case for a long time now as well" After listening to the interviews and and reading the transcripts I am not convinced he can plan how to put his shoes and socks on without asisstance never mind plan such a complex crime. Then one of the best defenses is to convince everyone you are too stupid to do it

Dadvocate I stand by my earlier statement. The Australian Judicial System Legally determines guilt or innocence. Mr Watson pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter the Australian Court Accepted and registered that fact. People may speculate about the motives of the Legal System and Mr Watson but that doesn't alter the fact that Legally he is found Guilty of the Manslaughter Death of Tina Watson.

I personally don't believe the Australian System would have charged him and worked to get him to trial if they didn't think they had enough evidence to convict!

 

[Geoff_H]

Anyone here thinks this is crazy? So now, if you have a rescue certification and you panic, or you are low on air or have any other reason you can't help someone - you are now liable? Isn't this a dangerous precedent the prosecution is setting?

That jumped out and smacked me in the face too. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of Gabe Watson - it is clear this sets precedent that you can be held legally responsible for the welfare of your dive buddy, or potentially anyone else in the water given your "Rescue Diver" status.

This would make me very wary of diving in a cattle boat in Australia.

 

[RJP]

This makes me think he did it...

 

[almitywife]

.......This would make me very wary of diving in a cattle boat in Australia.

no, it should make you wary of interferring with your dive buddys equipment, telling numerous different statements to the police and carrying on like a pork chop afterwards towards the victims family

 

[vladimir]

Keen eye for sarcasm.

 

[CameraFish]

That jumped out and smacked me in the face too. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of Gabe Watson - it is clear this sets precedent that you can be held legally responsible for the welfare of your dive buddy, or potentially anyone else in the water given your "Rescue Diver" status.

This would make me very wary of diving in a cattle boat in Australia.

Thanks to everybody for the very warm welcome!

This is very true and it extends beyond the rescue diver status... mention was also made of his duty of care responsibilty as her dive buddy. We have to remember that we are all in this together and all share a responsibility for each other.

It has to be remembered however, that this judgement was made with regard to the actual circumstances of this case and while it may set some level of precedent with regard to our sport (as far as we know... perhaps an earlier precedent already exists) what this guy did was shameful. If you behave in a responsible manner within the limits of your abilities then you should have nothing to fear.

It is of course only my opinion, but I feel that we should in life be held accountable for our actions. This woman died in large part because of his actions or inabilty to act. Further to this he made a decision to plead guilty to the manslaughter thereby indicating that he accepted that he was directly responsible for her death. Perhaps this judgement allows him to make reparations with himself and settle his own guilt. I know if it were me I wouldnt be able to bear to living with myself.

I suppose I'm really just saying... let's keep this in context and not freak out about what this means to us from a legal standpoint... rather let's accept that we are all responsible for each other when we set out into the deep briney. If you had to live with the knowledge that you let a loved one die, the prison sentence would be the least of your worries.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

That jumped out and smacked me in the face too. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of Gabe Watson - it is clear this sets precedent that you can be held legally responsible for the welfare of your dive buddy, or potentially anyone else in the water given your "Rescue Diver" status.

This would make me very wary of diving in a cattle boat in Australia.

I think it is premature to jump to conclusions like that at this time. Jumping on a few words from what the Prosecutor said and not knowing when and where in the proceeding they occurred or the importance of them in determining the outcome is a bit dangerous.

I seem to remember from a past exchange where you referred to Australian dive boats as "cattle boats" that you already have a pretty poor view of diving in Australia.... or is my memory playing tricks on me here?

Could it be possible that this is just another way to justify a pre-existing opinion?

CameraFish I am delighted to be able to give you your first Thanks.... A voice of reason