Newlywed acquitted of killing wife on honeymoon
Prosecutors said Gabe Watson, motivated by potential insurance payouts, had drowned his wife Tina in Oct 2003 by turning off her oxygen supply during their dive in the waters off Townsville, Australia.
Judge Tommy Nail ruled there was no evidence to suggest Watson intended to kill. “The only way to convict this man of capital murder is to use speculation and conjecture,” he said. “The state has failed to establish an intentional killing.”
Prosecutors claimed Watson stood to gain up to $210,000 in life and travel insurance from his wife’s death. But the defence said far less money was at stake and that Watson was not yet a beneficiary for any of the life insurance funds.
An eyewitness testified that he saw Watson wrap his arms around his wife underwater and figured Watson was trying to save her.
Watson’s mother collapsed in tears outside the courtroom after hearing the judge’s ruling.
“I am thrilled for Gabe. He can finally begin the healing process,” said Watson’s father, David. “Hopefully he can put his life back together.”
Judges rarely grant acquittals in murder cases, said Steve Emens, a professor at the University of Alabama School of Law. He said Tina Watson’s family could still file a wrongful death claim against Watson if they have not done so already.
Gabe Watson, 34, served 18 months in an Australian jail after pleading guilty to failing to do enough to help his 26-year-old wife during the dive.
He was tried for murder in Birmingham, Alabama, because that was where the couple married and prosecutors say he plotted Tina’s death.
Authorities agreed to waive the death penalty in order to get Australian authorities to release Watson back to the US.
