ID :
149686
Fri, 11/12/2010 - 17:04
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/149686
The shortlink copeid
Honeymoon killer homesick, lawyer says
The lawyer for honeymoon killer Gabe Watson has asked the federal government to
release his client into the community instead of being held in a Melbourne detention
centre.
Watson, a 33-year-old from Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday completed an 18-month
sentence in a Queensland jail for the manslaughter of his bride, Tina.
He was immediately transferred to the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre in
Melbourne.
The Australian government is seeking confirmation from the US government that Watson
would not be executed if charged and found guilty of his wife's murder after his
deportation to America.
Watson's Australian lawyer, Adrian Braithwaite told AAP on Friday he wrote to
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen on Thursday requesting his client be granted a
temporary visa until the government is satisfied it has met its domestic and
international obligations.
He is planning to lodge a formal temporary visa application next week and has yet to
receive a response from Mr Bowen.
Alabama prosecutor Don Valeska said he hoped Watson would not be released from
immigration detention in Australia before his deportation to the US.
Tina died while on a scuba diving trip off the coast of Townsville on their 2003
honeymoon, with Watson admitting he failed to render aid to his wife of just 11
days.
Mr Braithwaite said his client was upset about being held in immigration detention
and was looking forward to returning home.
He said he saw Watson, a former bubblewrap salesman, on Thursday night.
"He is upset about the process, there is no doubt about that," Mr Braithwaite told AAP.
"He was looking forward to going back to the States."
Immigration officials have told Mr Braithwaite it could be some time before his
client was released from detention.
"When I spoke originally to immigration about that issue they basically said it
could be weeks but it could be months - they didn't know," he said.
Mr Valeska expected Watson would be deported from Australia to the US on Thursday
but the federal government blocked that, fearing Watson could face the death penalty
in Alabama, despite the US state declaring the most severe sentence Watson faced was
life in jail without parole.
release his client into the community instead of being held in a Melbourne detention
centre.
Watson, a 33-year-old from Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday completed an 18-month
sentence in a Queensland jail for the manslaughter of his bride, Tina.
He was immediately transferred to the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre in
Melbourne.
The Australian government is seeking confirmation from the US government that Watson
would not be executed if charged and found guilty of his wife's murder after his
deportation to America.
Watson's Australian lawyer, Adrian Braithwaite told AAP on Friday he wrote to
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen on Thursday requesting his client be granted a
temporary visa until the government is satisfied it has met its domestic and
international obligations.
He is planning to lodge a formal temporary visa application next week and has yet to
receive a response from Mr Bowen.
Alabama prosecutor Don Valeska said he hoped Watson would not be released from
immigration detention in Australia before his deportation to the US.
Tina died while on a scuba diving trip off the coast of Townsville on their 2003
honeymoon, with Watson admitting he failed to render aid to his wife of just 11
days.
Mr Braithwaite said his client was upset about being held in immigration detention
and was looking forward to returning home.
He said he saw Watson, a former bubblewrap salesman, on Thursday night.
"He is upset about the process, there is no doubt about that," Mr Braithwaite told AAP.
"He was looking forward to going back to the States."
Immigration officials have told Mr Braithwaite it could be some time before his
client was released from detention.
"When I spoke originally to immigration about that issue they basically said it
could be weeks but it could be months - they didn't know," he said.
Mr Valeska expected Watson would be deported from Australia to the US on Thursday
but the federal government blocked that, fearing Watson could face the death penalty
in Alabama, despite the US state declaring the most severe sentence Watson faced was
life in jail without parole.
