almitywife
Vegemite Mod
fyi an update from the inquest today:
Husband killed honeymooner: police - National - smh.com.au
Husband killed honeymooner: police
The husband of a young newlywed who died diving on the Great Barrier Reef should be charged with her murder, a coronial inquest was told today.
The inquest into the death of American woman Christina Mae Watson, known as Tina, is hearing final submissions today in Townsville, and the coroner, David Glasgow, is expected to make his findings public tomorrow.
The novice diver was 26 when she died at a shipwreck 89 kilometres south-east of Townsville in October 2003.
This morning, counsel assisting the inquest, John Tate, said investigating police submitted that Daniel Gabriel Watson should be charged with the murder of his wife of 11 days.
"There's a strong case to answer," he told the court. "There are too many unanswered questions. It's for a jury to determine the answers to those questions."
Mr Watson would have to be extradited from the United States to Australia to face any charges.
Mr Watson's barrister, Steve Zillman, is arguing against such a finding, saying that in some quarters, especially in the media, his client had been portrayed as guilty, leading to the "uneasy feeling" police had determined his guilt and conducted the investigation on that assumption.
Evidence presented to the inquest suggested no obvious medical reason for her death, while her diving gear appeared to be working properly, leaving an accident or foul play the probable causes.
She was on her honeymoon with her new husband, an experienced diver known as Gabe, who chose not to appear at the inquest hearings.
They entered the water at 10.37am on October 22, diving to about 12 metres, before the dive leader saw her body on the sea floor at 10.42am. A minute later, Mr Watson surfaced, raising the alarm. The dive leader brought her to the surface at 10.44am, but she was declared dead 40 minutes later, after two doctors on the dive were unable to revive her.
Mr Glasgow suggested during hearings earlier this year he may make an adverse finding against Mr Watson.
Mr Watson is a trained rescue diver, but let his wife sink to the sea floor, saying she had panicked.
He recently discontinued legal proceedings against a travel insurer. In January, the court saw undercover video footage of him using bolt-cutters to remove flowers secured to his wife's grave in Alabama.
Two experienced divers who were with the couple on the dive accused Mr Watson of lying about his version of events - which has changed a number of times - saying it was never acceptable to leave a diving partner unless "they're dead".
Husband killed honeymooner: police - National - smh.com.au
Husband killed honeymooner: police
The husband of a young newlywed who died diving on the Great Barrier Reef should be charged with her murder, a coronial inquest was told today.
The inquest into the death of American woman Christina Mae Watson, known as Tina, is hearing final submissions today in Townsville, and the coroner, David Glasgow, is expected to make his findings public tomorrow.
The novice diver was 26 when she died at a shipwreck 89 kilometres south-east of Townsville in October 2003.
This morning, counsel assisting the inquest, John Tate, said investigating police submitted that Daniel Gabriel Watson should be charged with the murder of his wife of 11 days.
"There's a strong case to answer," he told the court. "There are too many unanswered questions. It's for a jury to determine the answers to those questions."
Mr Watson would have to be extradited from the United States to Australia to face any charges.
Mr Watson's barrister, Steve Zillman, is arguing against such a finding, saying that in some quarters, especially in the media, his client had been portrayed as guilty, leading to the "uneasy feeling" police had determined his guilt and conducted the investigation on that assumption.
Evidence presented to the inquest suggested no obvious medical reason for her death, while her diving gear appeared to be working properly, leaving an accident or foul play the probable causes.
She was on her honeymoon with her new husband, an experienced diver known as Gabe, who chose not to appear at the inquest hearings.
They entered the water at 10.37am on October 22, diving to about 12 metres, before the dive leader saw her body on the sea floor at 10.42am. A minute later, Mr Watson surfaced, raising the alarm. The dive leader brought her to the surface at 10.44am, but she was declared dead 40 minutes later, after two doctors on the dive were unable to revive her.
Mr Glasgow suggested during hearings earlier this year he may make an adverse finding against Mr Watson.
Mr Watson is a trained rescue diver, but let his wife sink to the sea floor, saying she had panicked.
He recently discontinued legal proceedings against a travel insurer. In January, the court saw undercover video footage of him using bolt-cutters to remove flowers secured to his wife's grave in Alabama.
Two experienced divers who were with the couple on the dive accused Mr Watson of lying about his version of events - which has changed a number of times - saying it was never acceptable to leave a diving partner unless "they're dead".
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