Jury Finds Man Guilty of Child Molestation

Michael P. Watson of Monticello was found guilty by a Jasper County Jury on two counts of child molestation in a trial conducted last Tuesday and Wednesday in Jasper Superior Court.

Judge William A. Prior, Jr., sentenced Mr. Watson to 20 years on each count, with 15 years to be served in confinement and the remainder to be served on probation. The two sentences run concurrent, meaning Mr. Watson faces a total of 20 years, not 40 which happens when sentences run consecutively.

During the trial the prosecution called nine witnesses to testify against the defendant, while the defense called five witnesses including the defendant himself.

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The jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes before delivering the guilty verdict.

Assistant District Attorney Brent Cochran served as the prosecutor in the case. Mr. Cochran indicated that the result of the verdict came down to whether the jury believed the victim or the defendant and that the victim’s witnesses had no reason to testify anything other than what they did.

Mr. Watson was indicted on the two charges by a Grand Jury in February of 2012 for the offenses which allegedly occurred in July, 2010.