Gabe Watson is charged with first-degree murder, prosecutors saying he drowned his wife on their honeymoon to collect a life insurance payout, and defense maintaining that Tina, in her first open water dive, panicked and died accidentally. He served 18 months in Australia for manslaughter. Read The Huffington Post.
One Chicago emergency room doctor diving near the incident testified he thought Watson was trying to help his wife, having seen her flailing in the water and then him wrapping his arms around her for about 10-30 seconds, before splitting about and her sinking to the bottom.
A former Marine also on the dive testified he was furious that Watson left his wife in the water, saying he didn’t believe Watson’s explanation that she slipped away from him, because she panicked and allegedly dislodged his mask. “You don’t leave your buddy unless they’re dead, or they’re trapped and you can’t get them loose without assistance.”
– Knowing nothing about the incident, I’m shocked that the line can be so thin between what looks like (failed) life saving and what looks like murder.
