Wednesday, June 19, 2002

Emotions lace Fulton courthouse after Jim Watson declared guilty of murdering wife By JOHN MUNFORD jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Jim Watson winced briefly as he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife Beverley. Meanwhile, family and friends of Beverley Watson rejoiced at the guilty verdict handed down by a Fulton County jury after just over five hours of deliberations. Their tears of joy turned to smiles of satisfaction just over an hour later as they spoke to the media. On the other side, the tears were of sadness for the family and friends of Jim Watson, particularly his mother Gail and daughter Ashley. Jim Watson's lawyer, Lee Sexton, said he plans to appeal the case because there are several grounds on which an appeal may be granted based on the outcome. About an hour after the verdict, Beverley Watson's brother, Scott Bennett, and close friend Debbie White, urged anyone in an abusive relationship to get help and call the police when necessary. "The biggest thing is to call the police, make them file the report," White said. "Take the pictures. Don't stay silent." Bennett also reached out to Ashley and her brother Todd, saying their family loves them. "Our prayers are for Todd and Ashley," Bennett said. "Our doors are always open. We love Todd and Ashley."   What do you think of this story? Click here to send a message to the editor. Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page