Jury Finds Luther Watkins Guilty Of Capital Murder In Killing Of Tuscaloosa Police Officer

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A Tuscaloosa County jury Friday afternoon found Luther Bernard Watkins Jr. guilty of capital murder in the 2019 shooting death of Tuscaloosa Police Department Investigator Dornell Cousette, bringing to an end one of the most closely watched Tuscaloosa criminal trials in recent history.

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After four days of testimony and more than six years since the fatal shooting, the 12-member jury delivered its verdict following an afternoon of deliberations that began after closing arguments.

After alternates were excused, the jury consisted of four White women, three White men, two Black women and one Black man.

Watkins now faces sentencing next week will include the death penalty under Alabama law. The sentencing hearing is set for Tuesday.

As Patch previously reported, prosecutors portrayed Watkins as a fugitive with multiple outstanding warrants for robbery and assault who chose to shoot Cousette as the veteran investigator attempted to serve an arrest warrant at a residence on 33rd Avenue in west Tuscaloosa on Sept. 16, 2019.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Paula Whitley Abernathy Friday morning urged jurors to reject the defense’s self-defense claims, saying Watkins deliberately fled into a home where he knew the layout before firing at Cousette.

ALSO READ: Closing Arguments Presented In Luther Watkins Capital Murder Trial; Jury Begins Deliberations

Watkins had taken the witness stand Thursday in a surprise move, acknowledging he had a handgun in his waistband that day and describing the chaotic sequence of events inside the house.

He claimed Cousette shot him first and that he fired back to protect himself. But prosecutors countered that no witness saw Cousette shoot Watkins in the back first, and that Watkins’ own statements and actions supported intent to kill the officer.

The defense argued throughout the trial that Cousette did not follow proper protocol and that Watkins acted only to save his own life. They highlighted gaps in the state’s case once both men were inside the home and stressed that evidence showed uncertainty about the precise dynamics of the shooting.

Opening statements earlier in the week laid bare the sharp contrast between the two sides’ accounts.

District Attorney Hays Webb told jurors Cousette’s last words may have been “Don’t you run,” as Watkins fled from him, only seconds before the fatal shot was fired. The defense conceded that Watkins shot Cousette but maintained it was justified under the circumstances.

Witnesses during the trial included investigators, crime scene investigators and family members of those present on the day of the shooting.

ALSO READ: Witnesses To Shooting Of TPD Investigator Take Stand Tuesday In Capital Murder Trial

The prosecution introduced forensic evidence, surveillance footage and recordings of Watkins’ statements after the shooting as part of its effort to establish culpability.

The case drew significant attention not only because of its connection to the death of a law enforcement officer but also due to long delays before trial.

Circuit Court Judge Brad Almond also presided over his final case over the last two weeks of jury selection and trial before retiring from the bench.

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