Chris Watts’ parents expected to make statement at Monday’s sentencing, letter claims son was coerced into plea
Cindy and Ronnie Watts, the parents of Frederick triple homicide suspect Chris Watts, filed an entry of appearance Wednesday in Weld District Court in hopes of making a statement at their son's sentencing hearing on Monday.
On Thursday, the Weld District Attorney's Office announced the sentencing hearing, which takes place at 10 a.m. Monday, has been moved to Division 16 from Division 17. Overflow will be held in Division 17, where a feed will be set up to allow stragglers to listen to the hearing.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for two hours. It will be followed by a 1 p.m. news conference with the Weld District Attorney's Office.
Also on Monday, the court received an email from a “K Almand,” an assumed representative for Cindy and Ronnie Watts. In the letter to Judge Kopcow, Almand claims the Colorado Public Defenders Office, which is defending Watts, has denied Cindy and Ronnie access to their son.
Cindy, Ronnie and an unnamed sister finally gained access to Watts for 30 minutes each the night before the sentencing hearing, Almand claims. Cindy asked her son if a plea deal is what he wanted.
“Do not ask him that or we will shut this (expletive) down now,” said an unnamed attorney before Watts could respond, according to Almand’s letter.
Almand said that type of “bullying” has been common in the Watts family’s dealings with the public defender’s office.