Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *CW GUILTY* #48

[Only4Justice]

I think sadly I would have to disown and completely disconnect from my child if they did this. And just because I'm a guilt ridden person as it is (we call it the German guilt in my family), I would be wondering how I failed so miserably as to create such a monster. But at the end of the day adults make their own choices and there is nothing a parent can do to change that. There are some wonderful parents that just have kids that don't turn out the way they hoped and their are *advertiser censored* parents that have well adjusted, successful, happy children. It's a scary thing as a parent IMO. You never really know how they will turn out.

Thanks for this post. Hits close to home for me.

 

[Seattle1]

Christopher Watts' mother: Rescind guilty plea in deaths of daughters, wife

Mother says son’s defense attorneys only wanted to save his life, not properly represent him

Cynthia Watts described her son as someone who never lost his temper and always did what his wife asked of him, “running, not walking.”

“How does he go from a decent person to a killer?” she asked. “If he won’t fight for his daggone self, I will.”

 

[liltexans]

just wondering if some of these developments might set up an appeal?

- no psych evaluation
- not able to talk to family?
- no 'established motive'

I think someone else might have said it on another board but sometimes in exchange for taking the death penalty off the table in what is FOR SURE a death penalty case, a prosecutor will allow a defendant to plead guilty but require them to tell the entire story about what happened and WHY. So that in the future, there is no chance of appeal because if the defendant tried to do so, the state would already have all the details and motive to fall back on....In this case, although we WSers have all speculated on several MOTIVES, we have never heard what the real motive was or what exactly happened. I am guessing that might be because the prosecutor does not believe we will EVER really know because CW will just keep lying and making up self-serving stories.

We don't know that CW did not have a psych evaluation. I believe his attorneys would have had one or more psych evaluations done.

Not being able to talk to his family is not grounds for throwing out his plea. He's not a child and he's not mentally incompetent or mentally disabled.

The state is not required to show or prove motive in a criminal case. Jurors and the public love to hear a motive, but the burden on the state is to show that a crime was committed and by whom. They do not have to explain or prove why a crime was committed.

 

[ZsaZsa]

I had been holding out hope that CW's father was a decent guy caught in an unthinkable situation, but he's either an idiot or a monster along with the rest of them. Mods, feel free to delete this and give me a T.O. I have nothing productive to add.

I feel the same way. I am still trying to understand how the dad could think it was a reasonable choice to put the girls into barrels of crude oil. When the newsman asked what he made of him doing that he said " He told me, Dad, after what she did I just couldn't put them with her". In what parallel universe does dad then think that is OK?

 

[PommyMommy]

I don't think many attorneys would be interested in the case since it seems like the evidence against him is substantial, but I feel like his parents are just confirming the case is not worth taking on. In addition to him being clearly guilty, his family is intrusive and has no desire to let the lawyers do their job or their son make his own decisions. I really don't think the Watts family has the money to make the trouble worth someone's time.

I agree. Regardless of how much CW's parents want to believe that he's been railroaded and that he didn't kill the girls as he pled guilty to doing, it doesn't change the facts. It doesn't change the evidence. And no attorney is going to take his case because his parents can't accept that he's a cold-blooded murderer. MOO

 

[BeanieBod]

<snipped by me >
Even if he is, he’s requested and receiving transcripts and has requested copies of the autopsies and is/will share these with an in depth explanation for his viewers. I like that.

@gitana1
1. If he is not the attorney, how can he be receiving transcripts or autopsies that are not yet public?
2. Can he become CW attorney at this late date?
3. How likely is it that CW will withdraw his plea?

 

[Only4Justice]

I think I would visit him occasionally and if he called I would talk to him because I know I would always love my child. I would make sure the world knew that , although I loved my child, I did not condone his actions and he was exactly where he should be. In a sense, they have lost the son they knew and loved. Hopefully once all the evidence is released, they can accept his plea.

Dear Colorado303,
No, my friend, we are not going to delete your post. Chris' parents, especially his mother, made a few pretty mean comments about Shanann and tried to paint their son as someone who did nothing wrong. We are allowing our members to discuss these comments and to express how they feel. As long as it doesn't go too far.

I think pretty much everyone can understand not wanting to accept your son killed his kids and pregnant wife but no one understands the vitriol toward Shanann from Chris' parents.
It is jaw dropping, shocking, and all around awful.

Jackie Peterson, all over again I swear.

And Cindy Anthony. Thanks Tricia. I know many of us are hurting over this case.

 

[Nikynoo]

I had a difficult relationship with my MIL but for CW mother not to show up at their wedding? WOW

I still want the link to support this - anyone have it?

 

[Jennifer17]

Cindy Watts statement of people not knowing the full story, is hollow.
It is she who doesn't know the full story, because her son has not spoken to her since he was arrested and she has had no engagement in the case and does not know any of the evidence they have.

 

[Lore Listener]

"Monday evening, the parents of Chris Watts gave an interview in which they attempted to defend their son. In doing so, they felt the need to make vicious, grotesque and utterly false statements about Shanann. Their false statements, however hurtful and inaccurate, will never alter the truth about Shanann, and will never alter the truth about the crimes committed by their son, Chris Watts." (Shanann's parents' statement, from the Fox31 article)

Every once in a while, you hear about a really great person having been raised by terrible parents or a complete sociopath who's parents were decent people and truly did their best. CLEARLY, that is not the case here. CW's mother is, without question, a controlling narcissist and exactly the type of person who would naturally raise a family annihilator. Her comments are beyond irrational and disgusting. Did she even express regret about her beautiful grandchildren? Or just herself and her precious boy whom she she sees as an extension of herself? Shanann's parents, on the other hand, have been so strong, classy and gracious. Everything about this case is just heartbreaking. The Watts family has destroyed so many beautiful lives.

 

[Nikynoo]

I feel the same way. I am still trying to understand how the dad could think it was a reasonable choice to put the girls into barrels of crude oil. When the newsman asked what he made of him doing that he said " He told me, Dad, after what she did I just couldn't put them with her". In what parallel universe does dad then think that is OK?

BBM - he doesn't - he goes on to say, he still doesn't understand it.

 

[Nessa131]

I still want the link to support this - anyone have it?

If if I remember correctly it was on sm so it cannot be linked here. But i may be wrong i have looked at so much information since this first hapoened!

 

[Seattle1]

I still want the link to support this - anyone have it?

The Podcast (which can't be linked per WS)

 

[Seattle1]

We don't know that CW did not have a psych evaluation. I believe his attorneys would have had one or more psych evaluations done.

Not being able to talk to his family is not grounds for throwing out his plea. He's not a child and he's not mentally incompetent or mentally disabled.

The state is not required to show or prove motive in a criminal case. Jurors and the public love to hear a motive, but the burden on the state is to show that a crime was committed and by whom. They do not have to explain or prove why a crime was committed.

All true. Even so, DA did say they have a partial motive, and will disclose after sentencing.

 

[Nikynoo]

LOL Those hosts want ratings. They used the Watts family to get them. JMO and I know I'm cynical.

I believe you might be correct.

 

[Jennifer17]

BBM - he doesn't - he goes on to say, he still doesn't understand it.

But he didn't ask his son why? He didn't ask him why he had to hide the bodies at all?

 

[Nudgee]

Good for them. Short, and straight to the point.

And here Shanann's family asked to please respect CW's family as they are family as well. Obviously that wasn't a two way street. Good for SW's family to continue to take the high road.

 

[medea13]

We don't know that CW did not have a psych evaluation. I believe his attorneys would have had one or more psych evaluations done.

Not being able to talk to his family is not grounds for throwing out his plea. He's not a child and he's not mentally incompetent or mentally disabled.

The state is not required to show or prove motive in a criminal case. Jurors and the public love to hear a motive, but the burden on the state is to show that a crime was committed and by whom. They do not have to explain or prove why a crime was committed.

Just playing devils advocate here - how do we know he is not mentally incompetent? Because of his previous ability to have/keep a job and live a somewhat normal life?

Also, I know the state is not required to provide a motive but I was just asking, don't most prosecutors at least TRY to have one explained to them by the defendant BEFORE they take the death penalty off of the table? Kind of like, 'we will spare your life but first you need to tell us what really happened?'

 

[tmar]

But is that a fact that he has not received a psych eval, or is the attorney saying IF he has not.

With a psych evaluation, could CW act more 'disturbed' than he is, to benefit his case.
He has been acting for years, and we all witnessed this in CW's interviews.
He may try to fool those testing him, and act quite 'crazy', perhaps more than he is.
MOO.

 

[scdiv]

I don't even understand how CW could be "railroaded" into a confession. He has legal representation - and while it's a public defender, it's also an extremely high profile case. We can read the motions they filed. They have been on it, aggressive, strategic, and smart. And again - it's all very, very public. We can see what they have been doing and preserving his rights. This isn't some 15 year old kid who got talked into signing his life away by some intern for a non-violent crime. Nor is he in a foreign country without an interpreter, or signing his name to a confession in another language.

As much as it's hard to understand how anyone could defend someone like CW, it gives me faith in our legal system to see the job they are doing. And with such a high profile case, I would suspect every move they made was discussed and reviewed. And knowing this case could be extra scrutinized. Does not having time to consult with Mommy violate his rights? Also, given this family dynamic, I think it could be very true that CW hid behind his lawyers to his parents. I think @gitana1 made that point in your awesome podcast. He is such a coward! I feel he can't even take ownership of his own decisions and face his parents - easier to blame it on his defense team. Sorry, mom, the lawyers told me to do it. Poor Chris, victimized again.

It seems very possible that his defense team told him that his "confession" of Shanann strangling the girls was not going to be a viable defense. I referenced the Lululemon murder case in Bethesda here before, but it reminds me of it in the ludicrous cover story the suspect told investigators. The girl murdered her coworker in a Lululemon store, with multiple objects, then stepped in the blood and walked around the store in men's sneakers to make male sized footprints out of blood everywhere. She tore the girl's pants to make it look like she was raped. Then gave herself some superficial cuts, tied her wrists with zip ties, and blamed it all on two masked men. And no matter how much the evidence was showing otherwise - she kept insisting her story was the truth. The police who initially believed her eventually thought otherwise and arrested her.

By the time she got a private attorney, her counsel knew the tale she had told the police was not going to be feasible to defend. And that if they put her on the witness stand, she would be destroyed on cross examination for all the lies and contradictions she had told. The victim's family did not want a plea deal because they wanted the maximum sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. (Did not qualify for a death penalty case in Maryland.) And knew the DA had enough to get that conviction. And they did. She had a top criminal defense attorney and the best defense they could come up with was that she "snapped" and "unfortunately and stupidly caused the death of Jayna Murray." ("Unfortunately" and "stupidly" inflicted over 331 individual and separate wounds to her victim.)

I'm sorry/please delete if too off topic. My point with this specific case is that even with a top private criminal defense attorney, that's still the very best defense they could come up with. They knew they couldn't defend the ridiculous story and subsequent lies she had told the police investigators. If a plea had been offered (the defense team did approach the DA on a plea, but they declined to even have those talks), she would have taken it. CW's story of murdering SW as in a rage for strangling her daughters is as ludicrous to me as blaming two masked men.

CW was finally wise to do the same and blaming his public defenders for "forcing" him into a plea deal is so wrong and offensive.