not stop and any time motion ever hit my child. I have seven children that I'm involved with every single day and raising even my other three that I don't get to see that I still see them every weekend that I can I'm not a person towards my kids. >> So Leila lied to the police. >> I believe it was a lie. She's had issues with that in the past. She's nine. Not with issues in this situation, but lying. And she's I think she was scared. I don't know. But I know that I never turned my I didn't put hands on my child. Court says that she pushed you trying to get you off of her mother. Then you turn and punch her in the stomach. And she told the police that she had stomach pain after being punched by. I know that I did not turn and hit my child. I think she was scared. I would not hit my child, judge. I know that for a fact. She didn't push me. I was pulling her out the door. I hit the door open and she was hitting me inside my head and face. I got that look from that. I did not ever stop at any point my child investigation. She was lying through an investigator because she wanted me to be in trouble for her mother fighting. She felt that I need to be in trouble for So, was Jessica lying when you said that you choked her out? I don't think I choked her out, judge. I did grab her, but I even told the officers as well. I did grab her by her neck and her coat that she had on and drug her out. Um, I don't I didn't choke her. Choking her. I don't know. I but I did grab her by her neck and her jacket the side of her arm and yanked her and drove her out to out to the door. report says that you put two hands around her neck and choked her for about a minute. That to be true, judge. I was drinking like I said, but I don't I I just grabbed pulled and pulled out. moved her out. I mean, I obviously maybe choked her while that was occurring, but I didn't choke her. >> You dragged her out of her house like somebody would drag a dog out of the house. They need to go outside, right? >> That sounds like a dog. No. >> Okay. All right. Miss Robinson, any additions, corrections, or challenges? >> Your honor, >> anything that you want the court to consider? >> Your honor, I'd like the court to consider that the 12 month cap was offered by our office. The recommendation from the agent was present. People are sticking with that offer. because of the statements we have had from the victim since. Uh so I would ask the court to sentence pursuant to the offer that we made. However, I would ask the court to maximize the amount of time that he gets here so that when he's out if he violates again prison is all that is left. I think it is important to note that the minimization here leads me to believe that all of the work that is being done is simply for the purpose of looking good to the court and trying to avoid jail time. It doesn't actually seem to be anything genuine by the defendant. He just every question um minimized what happened. You know, he said he just took her outside. Miss Frost indicated to the officer that when he dragged her outside, he bodys slammed her so hard onto the porch that she urinated herself. Uh the fact that his daughter, who he claims was punching him, but he put no hands on, felt the need to intervene as he was attacking her mother. I find that to be problematic. We have heard from the victim. She has indicated that she wants all of this dropped. She doesn't remember it and makes a point of telling our office that she can't afford to live without the defendant that he pays the bills. I believe that this is a family that is in a situation where um the fact that he is the provider is leaving them uh in a state of needing to be controlled even even in the last you know two minutes where you questioned him. I know you heard this but you asked him what kind of person chokes someone out. He said, "Oh, someone not in a good place was drinking." And then later when you said you choked her, that's what it said. He said, "Why? I don't really think that happened." So, I would ask the court to sentence pursuant to the offer that was made. Uh, we will dismiss the new charges as we said we would, but um I would ask the court to consider all of that when deciding how much of this time you should serve and before um making any decisions about the no contact order. Thank you, your honor. >> One question for your >> Yes, both of you. Um the 2024 domestic and district court here on the PSI it shows it was pending with a sentencing date of uh March. Did he end up pleading to that? Was he sentenced to on the domestic district court? >> I don't recall. Were you on probation? >> He thinks he may have been on probation. I did six months probation district. >> Six months of probation district. >> And was the victim in that case Miss Frost as well? >> I believe she's here today. Your honor, my notes indicate that uh there was a deferred sentence on the misdemeanor domestic violence in the district court here. >> Okay. They successfully completed deferral. >> Uh it appears so because he was discharged from probation successfully on uh September 26th of 2025. Your honor All right. The PSI says he's got 90 days credit rated two days on this file. Originally two days then sentence to serve 87 days with 87 days credit and you serve three days for posting violence probation violation. Does that sound right, Mr. Watkins? You served 87 days in jail? >> Yes, sir. Judgement sentence says you served 45 days 11 days credit. We served 45 days. 45 days 11 credit we had 34 to serve. Are you talking about the underlying charge, judge? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think that All right. So, what had happened in that case from what I recall is that um he bonded out, but probation thought he was still in jail. He bonded out so that they um had it 90 days >> of him serving. >> 45 I think that's the number. Okay. >> That's what we credit for. 48. All right. The court recognizes that the advisory guidelines in this case would suggest a sentence between zero and 11 months. The courts can exercise my discretion sentence consistent with the advisory guidelines consistent with the agreement in this case would be the sentence of the court. This defendant served seven months in the county jail. I'll give him credit for the 48 days that he's served so far. is going to be continued on probation with the same terms and conditions as was originally imposed. Um the Mr. I can the court probably would have given you the 11 months or year but you have been say I I'll use the term generously you've been working on some issues. I don't know I don't know if you just going through the motions or if you've been actually working on the issues but at least you're trying. I you got a long ways to go. You can tell from my court's questioning and dissatisfaction with your answers. you still haven't internalized what you did, I don't think, but uh you spent a fair amount of money. You trying to do the right thing. So that's the only reason that you're getting seven months and not the year. You do have the right to make application week to your conviction sentence. If you're not a foreign attorney, the court for an attorney to represent you on the appeal request for lawyer must file court uh within 42 days. Just for clarity, is he So, is it no contact lifted with Jessica Frost? Because I think that was lifted with the original probation violation. >> No, >> no contact. He choked her. Choked her. No, no contact. >> The courtroom drama surrounding Mr. Watkins was not just about a probation violation. It was a raw exposure of denial, power, and accountability. What began as a negotiated plea quickly evolved into a tense moral confrontation between the bench and the defendant. Watkins admitted to grabbing his fiance, Jessica Frost, but resisted the most serious elements of the police report. His repeated minimization, I don't think I choked her, stood in sharp contrast to the documented allegation that he placed both hands around her neck for nearly a minute. The most explosive moment came when the judge directly challenged his character, asking what kind of person commits such an act. Instead of full ownership, Watkins shifted blame to alcohol and emotional distress. When confronted with claims that he punched his daughter while she attempted to intervene, he flatly denied it, suggesting she fabricated the story out of fear or retaliation. This strategy backfired. The prosecution argued that his selective memory and soft admissions demonstrated image management rather than genuine reform. In a powerful analogy, the judge compared his actions to dragging someone like a dog out of a house, language that underscored the court's moral outrage. Ultimately, despite the sentencing guidelines recommending up to a year, the court imposed 7 months in jail, citing his rehabilitation efforts, but openly questioning their sincerity. Most tellingly, the judge refused to lift the no contact order, emphasizing the gravity of choking as a form of domestic violence. This case illustrates a central courtroom truth. Remorse without accountability rings hollow. Watkins partial admissions may have reduced his sentence, but they did not restore the court's trust.