Gabe Watson indicted on two counts of capital murder; his attorney calls charges 'ludicrous ... screwball theory'

Published: Thursday, November 25, 2010, 6:56 PM ??? Updated: Thursday, November 25, 2010, 7:57 PM

A Hoover man recently released from an Australian prison after serving 18 months for manslaughter in the 2003 drowning death of his wife has been charged with two counts of capital murder.

Gabe Watson, 33, arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday morning after he was deported on a commercial flight from Melbourne. He was taken in handcuffs to the 77th Street Community Police Station for booking, and a police lieutenant there said Watson would likely make a court appearance before being sent to Alabama.

Don Valeska, chief of the Alabama attorney general's violent crime division, confirmed Thursday that Watson was indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury on Oct. 22. on capital murder in the course of kidnapping and capital murder for pecuniary gain.

Charges were sealed until Watson returned to the United States.

The indictment lists as count one that Watson caused the death of Christina "Tina" Watson of Helena by drowning her for pecuniary gain or other valuable considerations, proceeds from a life insurance policy, according to Valeska.

In count two, Watson caused the death of Tina Watson by drowning her during an abduction to accomplish a murder, Valeska said.

The indictment states that Alabama prosecutors will not seek the death penalty.

Watson pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Australia, admitting he failed to render aid to his dive buddy -- his wife of 11 days.

Australian authorities had charged Watson with murder but accepted his plea to manslaughter. He was released from prison Nov. 11 but detained in Australia while officials there sought assurances from the U.S. government that he would not face the death penalty should murder charges be brought against him in Alabama.

Brett Bloomston, Watson's Birmingham attorney, said neither charge is a viable theory of prosecution.

Bloomston said his client was not a beneficiary of any insurance policy and said the kidnapping charge is "as ludicrous as it sounds."

"To prove that, the attorney general will have to offer that Gabe tricked Tina into falling in love with him, into marrying him, into traveling halfway across the world and going scuba diving," Bloomston said. "It really is a screwball theory."

Tina Watson's father, Tommy Thomas, said the family has remained confident that Waston would face Alabama charges.

"We believed that the evidence that got him indicted in Australia would also get him indicted here," Thomas said.

Thomas said he hopes Watson will not receive bail upon his return to Alabama.

I would want him to stay in jail because I know if he's out, his attorneys will do everything they can to avoid and delay a trail, but if he's locked up, they'll be eager to get this to trial and get this done," Thomas said.

Bloomston said if it wasn't for Attorney General Troy King, Watson would already be in Alabama.

"The fact is, Gabe will wave extradition to Alabama," Bloomston said. He had requested that King allow Watson to turn himself in, but said the request was ignored.

"What is Attorney General King afraid of?" Bloomston said. "Did Attorney General King fear Gabe would come back to the United States and go find a cave in Montana?"

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Leeds man charged with reckless murder following deadly vehicle crash near Westover

Published: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 6:12 PM ??? Updated: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 9:25 PM

A Leeds man has been charged with reckless murder in the deaths of a Sylacauga mother and two of her children who were killed Friday night in a vehicle accident near Westover, Alabama State Troopers announced tonight.

Jessica Wyatt Fields, 32, of Sylacauga and her two sons, John Clay, 7, and Tony Ray Fields were killed when her 1995 Chevrolet Lumina van collided with a 2004 Ford Mustang, driven by Manley Ray Williams about 10:30 p.m.

Troopers said Williams was traveling south on Shelby 55 when he failed to stop at a stop sign and collided into Fields' van, which was traveling east on U.S. 280.

Field's 12-year-old daughter was flown to Children's Hospital in serious condition.

A passenger in Williams' car, Joshua Stokes, received minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to UAB hospital.

Williams was treated and released from UAB and arrested on three counts of reckless murder and one count of first-degree assault, authorities said.
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Murder defendant James Hutto led from Jefferson County courtroom after expletive-filled rant

Published: Wednesday, November 03, 2010, 9:20 PM ??? Updated: Wednesday, November 03, 2010, 10:19 PM

James Hutto was escorted from a Jefferson County courtroom today amid an expletive-filled rant, before a judge ruled prosecutors could seek an indictment against him in his aunt's beating death.

Hutto, 39, is charged in the Sept. 15 death of the aunt, Virginia Rardon.

Rardon's death came in the middle of what police say was a two-state spree that started with the death of Ethel Winstead Simpson, 81, whose body was found on a Mississippi hog farm.

Hutto was arrested Sept. 17 after Auburn resident Mark Cox, 56, told Lee County sheriff's deputies that Hutto had robbed him, hit him in the head with a rock and stabbed him repeatedly with a pitchfork.

Now held in the Jefferson County Jail, Hutto will be sent to Mississippi to face a capital murder charge in Simpson's death.

He also has been indicted in Lee County on charges of robbery and attempted murder in the attack on Cox.

Rardon, 68, was found in the bedroom of her east Birmingham home with facial fractures, 18 broken ribs and a broken throat bone, prosecutor Laura Poston said during today's preliminary hearing.

Hutto showed up at his aunt's house on Sept. 14, acting erratically, according to testimony today from John Tanks, a Birmingham police detective.

Lois Rutledge, who lived with Rardon, told Tanks that Hutto asked for a ride to pick up a Mercedes Benz. He said it had been given to him by someone who had declared him the "Chosen One," Tanks testified.

The car belonged to Simpson, police said.

Rardon became nervous about Hutto staying in her house, Rutledge told police. On Sept. 15, Rutledge drove to Walker County to get her son and his fiancee, leaving Rardon home alone with Hutto, Tanks testified.

A woman who had been dating Hutto told police that he came to her house around 9 p.m. that night. His right hand was swollen and he had scratch marks on his arm, she told police.

Rardon's battered body was found early Sept. 16.

Cox told Lee County authorities that he stopped for fuel on Sept. 17. A gas-station employee Cox knew said a man was there saying he wanted to buy land. The man was Hutto, who still was driving the Mercedes, Tanks testified.

Hutto attacked Cox while the Auburn man was showing some land he had for sale, Cox told a Lee County sheriff's investigator. Hutto was arrested soon after, driving the Mercedes.

Hutto told police Cox killed both women, and Hutto killed Cox to avenge the deaths. When told Cox was still alive, Hutto declined to say anything else, Tanks testified.

But the 6-foot-1, 230-pound defendant was very vocal during his brief time in court today.

Secured by the standard handcuffs and leg and waist chains, Hutto managed to flip his middle finger at relatives before sitting next to his lawyer, Glennon Threatt.

District Judge Sheldon Watkins told Hutto to settle down. Hutto began cursing, continuing to do so as a bailiff took him back to jail.

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