The Trial of Duke Watrous Ends, but this Jurors’ Heartache Remains

While the trial of Duke Watrous ended last Friday, my heart still remains heavy with thoughts and visions of the events that took place last week. I find myself wondering how it is you ever get past what has been witnessed as well as the sentence that was handed down.

The jury deliberation process was one of the most difficult experiences I have ever been involved in. To sit through three full days of testimony including having to watch a horrific video detailing of the death of Ashley only to discover that some of the jurors actually thought this man deserved probation was more than I could comprehend.

How can anyone in their right mind want to give this man probation? Ashley’s death was a direct result of his reckless, drunken state of mind. I just don’t get it. Regardless, it was our job as a jury to deliver a punishment that we could all agree upon. Trust me, I use the term “agree upon” very loosely.

Upon deliberation, we were instructed to identify a member of the jury to serve as moderator throughout the process. This person was to be me. I divulged I had no issue with assuming this role for in my mind this would be a quick deliberation. I assumed the 20 year maximum sentence would obviously be agreed to by all. I would soon discover that to be far from the truth.

As a juror, you are not allowed to discuss the case with anyone until such time as the deliberation process begins. Given the fact that we’ve been bottling our feelings and thoughts all week, I felt it necessary for us to take 10 – 15 minutes to just download in a somewhat unorganized fashion. Following this time, I gathered everyone around the table to give a show of hands if anyone felt he deserved probation. Much to my surprise, there were two. I was dumbfounded. I then asked if anyone felt he deserved the maximum sentence of 20 years. There were seven, including myself. Let the debate begin…

My next step was to ask each juror to state their case to the rest of the jury as to why he/she felt their preferred sentence was appropriate. This would prove to be very interesting. As each juror spoke, I was amazed at how the details of the case directly effected them and how they came to feel the way they did. After each juror spoke, I asked them to give me a range of time – their high and low of what would be an acceptable sentence to them. Once I had these numbers, I added each column together to get the average high and low which was 13 – 16 years. Even though this was the median, it was obvious we were far from getting there from either extreme.

Debates continued as passions flared, especially with regard to the juror who dug in his heels for probation. His main concern was that of the long term recovery and health of Wesley, the now 11 year old son who witnessed the entire event. While I don’t necessarily agree with this particular jurors position, I do have to respect his passion and steadfast footing amid what must have seemed to him to be an onslaught attack from 11 other jurors. I can only imagine how difficult it was for him to stand his ground. Sort of like the little kid on the playground surrounded by a circle of bullies.

Our argument to him was that a positive male role model to a young man does not necessarily require a biological connection; however this juror felt that in order for Wesley to continue the healing process, Duke’s role in his life would be critical given that he had taken accountability for his actions. Wesley had already lost so much, and his concern was that to have his father in prison for an extended time would only cause more damage then had already occurred. To this day I don’t agree with his way of thinking, but that is why there is a jury of 12 and not one.

Following much discussion and negotiation, we finally reached a verdict that everyone could live with…12 years for the manslaughter, five years for tampering with evidence and the maximum of two years for child endangerment. Given that the crime involved the use of a firearm, Duke will serve a minimum of six years. Hearing myself saying that seems criminal, in and of itself, but what more can the community ask of me then to do my best?

As for me, each passing day finds a renewed sense of healing and acceptance. While Duke may have not gotten what I felt he should, the reality is that no amount of time will ever be enough or supersede the fact that he will have to live with the knowledge and guilt of having killed his child for the rest of his life. To me, that will be the worst prison of all.

During a conversation I had yesterday with a reporter from the Denton Chronicle, I shared with her that Duke, in my opinion, has never truly evolved beyond  the “Kingdom” mentality from which he grew up in. Rather, he merely transitioned the power from his father to himself. I pray in the coming years he’ll come to understand and accept who and where the Kingdom really is. Then, and only then, will he truly find freedom from prison.

We, the Jury…

It’s 4:00 am on April 15th, 2011, yet it seems it should be nearing nightfall rather than daybreak. Today marks the beginning of what will be jury deliberation in the trial of Duke Watrous; a father who in a drunken stupor accidentally shot and killed his 10 year old daughter, Ashley, in the face on December 24, 2009 as her 9 year old brother watched in horror. A jury God has seen fit for me to serve on. This week began unlike most others as 298 Denton County citizens appeared in the large room of the Denton County Courthouse as ordered by the dreaded jury summons most Americans will receive at some point in time of their lives. In past, it was a mere inconvenience. This time it would prove to be much more than anything I ever imagined.

Having been narrowed down to 57 individuals, we were instructed to reappear to the courthouse at 1:30 pm this past Monday as that was the appointed time for the jury selection process to begin. Having done the math, I realized I had a nearly one in five chance of being selected for the jury; yet that little voice inside me knew that I would inevitably be part of the final process. Never could I have imagined the depth of conflict that would soon follow as the week unfolded.

Duke Watrous, defendant, had pled guilty to the reckless manslaughter of his 10 year old daughter on the night of December 24, 2009. In doing so, he had requested that a jury decide his punishment. To do this, the jury must sit through all the evidence as if no plea had been rendered so the process as a whole is no different than if you are instructed to determine guilt or innocence. In addition to the already unthinkable act, details would soon emerge of the atrocities that swirled around this dysfunctional family.

During Duke’s polygamist upbringing, he fell victim to a father that denied him public education and referred to his family compound as the “kingdom.” Begin the eldest of his father’s second “family,” with four younger brothers, Duke eventually took flight from his immediate family at the age of 18 yet still remaining under the emotional and financial control of his father for the next six years. Eventually, Duke began to make his own way in the world as an entrepreneur selling books to a large, multi-state region of schools and began to find financial success as a young adult. At the age of 24, Duke completely severed from his father’s reins and began a life free of his control. But as history will show, he was never far from his father’s influence and witness of what it is to be a man.

Having met Brandy, seven years his junior and a relatively uneducated, needy woman who was victim to the strong, negative influence of her mother, they quickly began a relationship that produced what would eventually be a total of three children, Ashley, Wesley and Amber. Both begin very young at the onset of their relationship, neither was equipped with the necessary life skills to function in a healthy relationship. The years that would follow proved to be tumultuous at best with a barrage of accusations including physical and verbal abuse, with Brandy’s mother begin at the center for much of it. At one point in the relationship, Brandy and her mother move out of Duke’s house with the children and would eventually disappear along with the children. Not knowing where they were, Duke hired an attorney and a private detective to locate his kids in order to regain control of them, a process which would take two years to complete.

Once locating Brandy, Duke files for custody and wins. Ashley and Wesley now live with him full time. As one would expect, this was not the preferred custody situation to Brandy or her mother. At one point, Brandy’s mother decided it was time to take back control and convinces Brandy to file false assault charges against Duke. In doing so, they might be able to not only cause him grief but also regain the control of Ashley and Wesley. But one might ask, how do you go about doing this? At her mother’s suggestion, Brandy agrees to allow her mother to strike her in order that they physical evidence will be documentable to an investigator. So she takes a large piece of fruit, places it in a sock, and smashes it against the side of Brandy’s face. Following the “incident” report, charges are filed and Duke is arrested. Eventually, these charges would be dismissed.

During this time, Duke met Aude; a French woman he spotted stranded on the side of the road and stopped to offer assistance, which he later admitted was primarily based on his desire to meet this beautiful, young, damsel in distress with long blonde hair. Within a month of their initial meeting, Duke and Aude begin living together and eventually marry – that is, once she agreed to leave her current husband with whom she still shared an apartment with. This marriage between Duke and Aude would produce two children, Derandau and Emily. As with the previous relationship with Brandy, the marriage between Duke and Aude would also be riddled with accusations of domestic violence and verbal abuse.

During the marriage to Aude, Duke begins a successful nationwide moving business. Having purchased a home in Frisco, they soon decide to purchase a larger home in Oak Point, TX in order to house his wife, four children (he now has custody of his two children from Brandy,) as well three of his minor brothers whom he had offered a place to live in order that they, too, could escape the heavy handed control of their father and pursue education outside of their current home setting. Deciding to maintain ownership of their home in Frisco as an investment, they locate a tenant to occupy the premise. This tenant, Mr. Freeman, was then the pastor of Grace Point Church.

Not long after, Aude accepts an invitation to begin attending his church with the children; however Duke finds the teachings to be less than desirable for his preference. The changes in his wife over the coming  year would be undeniable. Soon, her short shorts, mid-thigh skirts and jeans were replaced with long, ankle length frocks. Make-up was quickly discarded. Her hair no longer bleach blonde, soon became wrapped in a tight, librarian-like bun. Slowly but surely, his sexy, fun loving, French, roadside bombshell had become a mere shell of her former self – and Duke was none too pleased with his reinvented wife. As the tensions grew, the couple eventually sought counsel through Pastor Freeman; a man who would eventually become Aude’s current husband. That is, once he ended his 28 year marriage to his then wife.

Amid the breakup of his marriage to Aude, Duke and Brandy reignite a physical relationship with one another which produced Amber. While the relationship between them was a passionate one, they maintained their separate residences and Duke served as the primary custodial parent to Ashley, Wesley and Amber. Having sought mediation with Aude regarding Derandau and Emily, Duke would serve as primary, custodial parent to them, but they would share their time with the kids 50/50. In my opinion, these were good times in Duke’s life as his “kingdom” was just as he wanted it. This would prove to be short lived.

On the evening of December 23, 2009, Duke, his five children, and three of his brothers are present at Duke’s home in Oak Point. Having been drinking all day, the family celebrated Christmas together by opening gifts and having a turkey dinner. The evening proceeds with an all-night game of “Risk.” Not being familiar with the game personally, it is obvious to me, based on the testimony, that at some point the various players are eliminated. Following Duke’s elimination, he opts to go to bed while the others, including Duke’s brothers, 10 year old Ashley and 9 year old Wesley, stay up past dawn continuing their pursuit of victory. When morning arrives, Duke takes Denalde and Emily back to Aude’s house and drops them off. When returning home, Duke begins drinking again.

Throughout the day, Duke continues to consume alcohol. Much of this is documented on a video recorder Duke had installed in his home. One might wonder why you would have a video recorder installed in your home, right? Well, this was a decision Duke had made quite some time back to prove his quality parenting skills in the event another CPS investigation was launched resulting from accusations by either Brandy or Aude as they had done numerous times in previous years. Self-protection & insurance I guess. A decision which would ultimately prove to be forever haunting….

It’s time for me to get ready for my final day of court now. While I can’t talk with you about the details of this case until it’s conclusion, I wanted to share with you what has been going on this week in not only my life, but the lives of so many innocent people involved in this tragic incident.

We, the jury, have been forced to watch the horrific video leading up to and including the moment when Ashley is shot along with the events that immediately follow. We, the jury, have been forced to listen to audio tapes of Wesley and the 911 operator moments following the shooting. We, the jury, will now face the daunting task of having to decide not only the fate of Duke Watrous, but the lives of so many other; a decision we do not take lightly.

We, the jury, ask for your prayers.