Man to face Alabama trial in wife's diving death

By Jay Reeves

Associated Press

Published: Saturday, Feb. 11 2012 11:30 p.m. MST

FILE -- This is a police booking photo provided on Wednesday, Dec.1, 2010 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department picturing Gabe Watson, 33, from Alabama. Watson, who served prison time in Australia for the death of his bride during their honeymoon, is going on trial accused of murdering her. A judge will consider motions and begin jury selection Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 in Birmingham for the trial of 34-year-old Watson. He is accused of killing newlywed bride Tina Thomas Watson. She drowned during a scuba dive in Australia just days after her wedding in October 2003.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Associated Press

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Summary

An Alabama man who served prison time in Australia for the death of his bride during their honeymoon is going on trial, accused of murdering her during a scuba dive.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — An Alabama man who served prison time in Australia for the death of his bride during their honeymoon is going on trial, accused of murdering her during a scuba dive.

A judge will consider motions and scheduled jury selection to begin Monday in Birmingham for the trial of 34-year-old Gabe Watson.

Watson is accused of killing newlywed bride Tina Thomas Watson. She drowned during the dive in Australia just days after their wedding in October 2003.

Watson already has served 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter for not doing enough to save the woman's life.

Alabama prosecutors say Watson planned the honeymoon diving trip so he could kill Tina for insurance money. The defense maintains her death was a horrible accident.

The trial could last a month.

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