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Jury selection under way in trial of Alabama man accused of murdering wife on Australian honeymoon
Published November 23, 2015
Feb. 13: Gabe Watson talks with his current wife, Kim, after arriving at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham for jury selection in his trial. Watson is accused of drowning his first wife, Tina Thomas Watson, during a scuba dive in Australia in 2003. (AP)
Jury selection is under way for a second day in the trial of an Alabama man accused of killing his bride during their 2003 honeymoon in Australia.
Lawyers are due back in a Birmingham court Tuesday to continue questioning potential jurors for the trial of 34-year-old Gabe Watson. He is charged with capital murder in the death of his former wife, 26-year-old Tina Thomas Watson.
The trial opened Monday with prosecutors dismissing one count against Watson and a judge blocking a defense request to subpoena former Alabama Attorney General Troy King, who initially pushed the case against Watson.
Prosecutors claim Watson drowned his bride of 11 days during an Australian diving trip hoping to collect from a life insurance policy. Watson has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers claim the woman's death was a terrible accident.
Watson already has served time in Australia after pleading guilty to negligent manslaughter in Tina's death.
The defense team and prosecutors from the Alabama Attorney General's Office began questioning a pool of 70 potential jurors on Monday. The final panel of 12 jurors and two alternates could be selected as early as Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/jury-selection-under-way-in-trial-of-alabama-man-accused-of-murdering-wife-on-australian-honeymoon