I'm sad to say... justice was not served in court.
The 13th Circuit Court of Grand Traverse County in Traverse City, Michigan failed not only me... but all of the residents of the state.
The Judge prioritized
The defense attorney referred to me as "the complaining witness" and criticized me throughout the hearing.
Calling me "vicious" and accusing me of having a "vendetta"... saying my social media content is "disturbing" and "inappropriate".
What is TRULY vicious and disturbing was what Keith Robert Watson did to me for 6 years.
What is TRULY disturbing is a Judge ruling in the abusers favor and holding zero regard for the safety of people. What is truly inappropriate is setting aside the convictions of someone who used guns (AR-15, 12G Shotgun, 9mm Pistol & .22 Rifle) to threaten, beat and violate me in my own bedroom while pregnant... who now has the ability once again to own weapons.
I begged the court in my statement. I pushed past all of the fear and nausea and SPOKE up... but it wasn't enough. I was a ghost in the court room. The pain and suffering I went through meant absolutely nothing. The prosecution said NOTHING about me. The prosecution was focused on how having a felony conviction doesn't effect him and it should remain on his record. Why didn't they speak about me? Why didn't they speak about the public?
I was the only one there for me.
Fighting alone.
The Judge acknowledged the heinous acts he committed and in the same breath granted him the expungement (set aside conviction). It felt like a hard punch to my stomach hearing that. It broke me all over again.
Given all of the gun & domestic violence issues in this country... I cannot believe that a Judge would choose to hide his violent record from the public and arm him once again.
... the justice system failed once again and I will hold EVERYONE involved accountable for what they did at that hearing.