Payson Roundup

Note: Payson Roundup doesn’t necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy.

1. 30 June 2009 at 12:27 p.m.

   Suggest removal

   Permalink

   Tom_Garrett (Tom Garrett) says…

   Roger Watson was murdered on February 19, 2007.

   According testimony, he was shot by Thomas Paul Georgatos, who then kicked Watson in the face three times while he was lying on the floor of a garage, apologizing and begging for his life. After which Georgatos shot him a second time.

   After Watson was killed, Georgatos and William M. Sweatt, who was there while the killing occurred, loaded Watson’s body into the green Subaru in which Watson had arrived.

   Georgatos and Sweatt then called Scott B. McGeough, who came to Georgatos' home. The three debated what to do with Watson’s body and finally drove the Subaru with Watson inside the trunk out to Cracker Jack Road, where according to a police report they set the car on fire.

   All three men have been sentenced to prison:

   Georgatos sidestepped a murder trial by pleading guilty to arson charges for setting fire to a car that had Watson’s body in the trunk. Judge Peter Cahill imposed a 21-year prison term. That sentence comes on top of a previous 129-year sentence for six drug and sex convictions involving minors.

   On May 29, Cahill sentenced McGeough to five years in jail with credit for 823 days served before sentencing, which means he will be out on the street in 2 years and 9 months.

   Sweatt was sentenced to four years in jail with credit for 823 days served before sentencing, which means he will be out on the street in 1 year and 9 months.

   McGeough and Sweatt were each ordered to pay $750 for the cost of prosecution, and $2,154 in restitution to Diana Jensen, Watson’s mother. They were also each ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to the county's victim compensation fund.

   There is some grumbling about the sentences imposed on the three men because no one has been held accountable for the murder of Roger Watson, which leaves the Watson family to deal with his death.

   What do you think? Has justice been served? Are the sentences appropriate? Should someone have been tried for murder or as an accessory to murder?

2. 30 June 2009 at 8:23 p.m.

   Suggest removal

   Permalink

   Tom_Garrett (Tom Garrett) says…

   I'll be hanged!

   Oops! Maybe that's not a smart comment on this string. :-)

   Anyway, I'm surprised no one has put up an opinion.

   I put up this string because I absolutely couldn't make up my mind whether or not justice had been served. Tried to look at it from the viewpoint of the prosecutor's office, and from the viewpoint of the victim's family. Just couldn't make up my mind.