After deliberations, jurors conclude former Fort Cavazos soldier not guilty of raping 15-year-old | News

He faces 5 to 99 years or life in prison for a first-degree felony.

“These are difficult cases to try before a jury,” Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza said in an email to the Herald on Wednesday evening. “We and the family are disappointed with the outcome, but we appreciate the jury’s service.”

The jury of eight men and six women, including two alternate jurors, was empaneled Monday in the 426th Judicial District Court with Judge Steve Duskie presiding. Throughout the day on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, the jury heard testimony from eight of the state’s witnesses: the accuser, two screaming witnesses and other family members of the accuser, police officers, a sexual assault examiner and a medical examiner interviewer.

The state rested its case at 9:30 a.m., followed by the defense calling no witnesses. The judge read aloud the court’s charges and jury instructions, and then the jury heard closing arguments from the attorneys. The jury members began deliberating at 11 a.m

Bell County court records Wednesday afternoon reflected the jury’s verdict of not guilty. The filing also showed that jurors had asked to see all evidence in the case and that one question had been answered.

Assistant District Attorney Tanner Barnes repeated to the jury what the prosecutor and the two screaming witnesses had told them during their testimony. Watson lived with the accuser and her father in a house on Huntington Drive in Temple. According to a witness statement Tuesday, the father was attending a billiards tournament in Temple at the time of the alleged incident.

“The victim and her sister were left with ‘Uncle Matt,’ who was entrusted to care for the children,” Barnes said.

The original plan was to go out to eat, but then Watson changed his plan and switched to fast food and alcohol, according to testimony from the accuser and her sister, who was one of the witnesses to the outcry.

“Maybe he wanted to be the cool uncle, but these were underage girls,” Barnes said. “The sister got a little drunk, went to bed, and left (the accuser) and Watson alone in the living room…You saw her compelling testimony (on Tuesday). She tells the truth.”

Then it was Watson’s defense attorney’s turn to present his case. For 15 minutes, Thomas Seigman explained the points of reasonable doubt that he saw in the State’s case.

“The outcry happened a year and a half later … when she feared that her family would find out that she was sexually active (with a boyfriend),” Seigman said.

The lawyer also addressed the defendant’s genital piercing, as it was part of the accuser’s account of the alleged incident.

“The state is telling you that the only way she can know about ‘Prince Albert’ is because she was sexually abused,” he said. “But you remember her father said on the witness stand that he drank quite a bit at the time and had parties where he mentioned (Watson’s) piercing. It was a conversation starter.”

However, Assistant District Attorney Shelly Strimple insisted in closing arguments that the attack was planned beyond its intrusiveness.

“She was a vulnerable 15-year-old battling chaos in her home…,” she said. “She was a perfect victim for him.”

The prosecutor asked the jury to reconsider the defense’s contention that the victim made a rape allegation to conceal her sexual activity.

“Just look at the corroborating details,” she said.

At the end of her 15-minute closing statement, Strimple reminded the jury of the prosecutor’s emotional testimony.

“A 21-year-old woman still carries the burden of the guilt he created,” Strimple said, pointing to the defendant. “Take the burden off their shoulders and put it on him, the adult who took advantage of a 15-year-old.”

The prosecutor said the attack occurred on or about March 17, 2018, the week of spring break. She reported the attack to TPD on July 23, 2019, after previously telling two family members.

According to the public affairs office at Fort Cavazos, Watson no longer serves in the U.S. Army.