Accused 'Honeymoon Killer' Trial Sees Photos of Dead Bride

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Feb. 21, 2012— -- Photos of Tina Watson's corpse were entered as evidence today in the trial of accused "Honeymoon Killer" Gabe Watson, who tensely kept his eyes averted and looking down.

The photos were shown to jurors as Watson's legal team raised questions about the company that took Tina and Gabe Watson on a scuba dive off of Australia's coast 11 days after they were married. The bride drowned during the 2003 dive and her husband is on trial for allegedly killing her.

The judge also refused to admit as evidence a reenactment of the drowning done by Australian police using a dummy. In the tests, the dummy when released by a diver did not land where Tina Watson's body landed, but it was not clear whether the currents and other conditions were identical.

An emotional moment during today's testimony was the introduction of photos of Tina Watson's body.

Her father, Tommy Thomas, was seated with the prosecution, but got up and left the courtroom as the photos were being shown to the jury.

Gabe Watson appeared tense as the pictures were presented. He did not look at the photos, keeping his eyes looking down.

Accused "Honeymoon Killer" Looks Away From Photos of Dead Wife

Watson's legal team was aggressive today in trying to show that the dive company that took the couple out to sea was allegedly negligent in Tina Watson's death.

During the questioning of Wade Singleton, a dive leader who worked for Mike Ball Expeditions, defense lawyer Brett Bloomstom got Singleton to concede that he should have taken the couple on a orientation dive before taking them to the dangerous water of the Great Barrier Reef.

Tina Watson was a novice diver while her husband was rated as an experienced diver. Her friends testified earlier in the week that Tina Watson had conceded she was a very nervous diver.

Gabe Watson contends that his wife panicked in the strong currents and accidentally knocked off his mask and regulator when he went to her assistance. By the time he got the equipment fixed, she had drifted dangerously out of his reach.

"If you had taken Tina on the orientation dive, would we possibly not be here today?" Bloomstom asked.

"Maybe," Singleton. answered.

While noting that Gabe Watson was his wife's dive buddy, Bloomstom asked whether Tina Watson would have been able to save her husband if he had gotten into trouble. Wade replied, "No."

Bloomstom argued that the couple should have been accompanied by dive group leader.

Mike Ball Expeditions had previously pleaded guilty to contravening their own safety standards and were fined $6,500 in Australia.

Gabe Watson had pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter in Australia and served 18 months in prison for failing to save his wife. Alabama prosecutors trying him for murder claim that Gabe Watson shut off his wife's air supply until she was dead, then turned it back on.

Prosecutors claim that Gabe Watson, who is remarried, killed his wife in the expectation of collecting $130,000 in life insurance. Tina Watson's father was named the insurance beneficiary.