Carl (Coral) Eugene Watts

SSCG21: Effects these crimes had on the intended victim

SSCG21: Nature and cause of the crime(s) committed

• At least 80 lives were lost.
• Mourning family members.
• Lawrence Fossi's wife was murdered by Watts, and he wanted to fight the release with every legal possible mean he could find.
• Families of all who Watts killed gathered to pray with each other, and for the first time, some of them heard of how bad Watts had treated their family members.
• Laura Allen, whose daughter was murdered by Watts said it is time to forgive him.
• Joe Tilly, who was a parent of one of Watts's victims stated "Forgiveness cannot be bestowed when forgiveness is not sought. This is a confrontation with pure evil, with principalities and the powers of the air."

SSCG21: Categories of the the types of crimes committed

• He had a problem with women. (Specifically young white women)
• He was diagnosed with a antisocial personality disorder.
• At age 15, the doctor stated he was "A paranoid young man who is struggling for control of strong homicidal impulses. His behavior controls are faulty and there is a high potential for violent acting out. This individual is considered dangerous."
• Watts was a drug user, and often disciplined for his violent behavior towards females in high school.
• Watts was evaluated during his college years by the outpatient facility, and was said to have a "strong impulse to beat up women.

• stabbing
• slashing
• strangulation
• drowning
• beating
• stalker
• torture
• attacking

SSCG21: Type of defense used by the perpetrator

Carl (Coral) Eugene Watts

• When Watts was asked why he killed, he stated "The women had "evil eyes" and that he wanted to "release their spirits."
• Watts had lost control of his impulses and realized he needed to kill to be happy in life.
• He stated that if they released him, then he would kill again.
• Watts started to hate women, because his favorite uncle had been killed by female relatives.
• Watts was said to view the world around him as "pure fantasies which revolve to a large extinct around the struggle against the evil he sees everywhere."

"The Sunday Morning Slasher"

Discussion Questions:

SSCG22: Steps taken in the criminal process

1. What was Watts known as?

2.What caused Watts to dislike women the way he did?

3.Name 2 type of ways that Watts killed women.

4.How many killings has Watts confessed to?

• He appealed his first third degree murder convictions in the 1979 stabbing death of a suburban Detroit woman.
• In 1982, he was arranged a plea bargain, which he ended up receiving 60 years for.
• Texas Court of Appeals stated that Watts was not informed that the bathtub he tried to kill Lori Lister in was a deadly weapon. The statement classified Watts as just a felon and made him eligible for early release.
• Watts had immunity for the 12 killings he committed in Texas, but not the ones he committed in Michigan, so before his 2004 trial, law enforcement asked the judge to allow Texas confessions into evidence, and the judge granted them permission for this.
• Watts was charged with the murder of Helen Dutcher, and a Michigan jury convicted him on November 17, 2004 after hearing a eyewitness testimony from Joseph Foy.
• Sentenced to life on December 7, 2004. Two days later Michigan authorities suspected him of the killing of Gloria Steele, who was killed in 1974.
• This trial began on July 25, 2007. Closing arguments ended the next day, and Watts was found guilty. He was sentenced to life without parole on September 13, 2007.

Sources:

SSCG22: Type of sentence Watts received

SSCG7: Current Issues

• www.cafemom.com (Picture)
• http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/coral_watts/index.html
• www.crimezzz.net
• www.off2dr.com
• http://murderpedia.org/male.W/w/watts-carl-eugene.htm
• http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/coral_watts/index.html
• http://crime.about.com/od/serial/p/watts.htm
• http://www.murdervictims.com/watts.htm

• He was sentenced to 60 years of prison for burglary with the intent to murder, but mandatory release laws in Texas and and appeal's court ruling reduced his sentence by more than 35 years.
• He was also sentenced to two (2) life sentences without parole in Michigan in 2007.

Thoughtful and effective participation in civic life is characterized by:

• Obeying the law- This is a characterization, because it shows how citizens act towards our country and citizens in it.
• Serving on a jury- This is a characterization, because it shows how people view different trials, and their opinions they have on things that happen in everyday life.
• Performing public service- This is a characterization, because it shows how performing public service can help citizens in different ways.
• Being informed about current issues- This is a characterization, because it shows how people can be aware of what they think are normal everyday surroundings.
• Respecting differing opinions- This is a characterization, because it shows how people can respect each other's opinions and decisions with events that occur in our lives.

Judicial Branch Research Project & Presentation