20 years given in death of 8-week-old girl
Web-posted Thursday, January 28, 2010
By David Pittman, Amarillo Globe News
An Amarillo man was sentenced Wednesday afternoon to 20 years in prison for the death of his 8-week-old daughter.
Earlier in the day, a Potter County jury found Matthew Ray Watson, 29, guilty of reckless injury to a child, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years.
Watson was accused of causing the Aug. 17, 2004, death of Averial DeAn Buie. He was on trial for capital murder, but 108th District Court Judge Doug Woodburn asked jurors to consider lesser charges.
The trial started Jan. 13, and closing arguments were Tuesday. The 11-man, one-woman jury deliberated for about five hours before returning a verdict Wednesday afternoon. Jurors heard five days of testimony during the guilt-innocence phase, and additional testimony Wednesday.
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