Trial 1999 News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> you did in fact shoot the gun and shot that one time? >> yes. >> there was only one shot fired? >> yes. >> and after that you ran and hid behind the curtain? >> yes. >> the pain of testifying in an open court came to a stop when susan got some welcome news. the state cut a deal with her. >> as far as i understand, there's been a plea negotiation in this case? >> yes, your honor. the state at this time is willing to withdraw the charge of murder and place a charge of manslaughter. >> susan pleaded guilty to manslaughter and avoided a long and painful trial. she was now a confessed killer, bu...

Juvenile. the laws back then were geared more toward rehabilitation than punishment. her lawyers argued that susan watson had been rehabilitated, that the susan watson who killed her mother no longer existed and at 41 years old, they say, she did not belong in juvenile court. >> all right. this is the case of susan marie watson. >> she had regrets. she worried. she was a little bit relieved that she had come forward and finally told what happened. but i think the remorse consumed her all through the trial. >> 1999, in her first appearance in a newark, new jersey family courtroom, susan watson'...

Couldn't locate him in time. david didn't speak either. he says lawyers didn't ask him to take the stand. after two hours of testimony, the judge had made a decision. >> clearly based on the testimony i have before me which i determine to be entirely credible, this young woman has achieved tremendous things in her life, and i find the defense has met its burden of showing she's been rehabilitated and this matter will be dismissed. >> dismissed. that's right. the judge determined that susan watson should be set free without a trial. the prosecutor says he felt susan got off scot-free. >> i felt...

>> yes. >> there was only one shot fired? >> yes. >> and after that you ran and hid behind the curtain? >> yes. >> the pain of testifying in an open court came to a stop when susan got some welcome news. the state cut a deal with her. >> as far as i understand there's been a plea in this case. >> yes, your honor. the state at this time is willing to withdraw the charge of murder in place of a charge of manslaughter. >> susan pleaded guilty to manslaughter and avoided a long and painful trial. she was now a confessed killer, but she was not sent to jail. that's because the court treated her as ...

He says lawyers didn't ask him to take the stand. after two hours of testimony, the judge had made a decision. >> clearly, based on the testimony i have before me which i determine to be entirely credible, this young woman has achieved tremendous things in her life, and i find the defense has met its burden of showing she's been rehabilitated, and this matter will be dismissed. >> dismissed. that's right. the judge determined that susan watson should be set free without a trial. the prosecutor says he felt susan got off scot-free. >> i felt like she got away with murder. she walked out of the ...