The Marine accused of gunning down two men in Jacksonville last Friday morning made his first appearance in court Monday morning.
But a rare move by a judge meant none of the friends or family of the victims or the suspect who showed up at the courthouse could see it.
Nine On Your Side’s Philip Jones explains why that has one already devastated family searching for even more answers:
Clair Anne Thomas' emotions are still very raw some 72 hours after her son, Christopher Watts, was gunned down behind Northwoods Shopping Center -- especially when it comes to his accused killer, Lance Cpl. Jarrell Wilson.
“I want that man to fry,” she said. “I want him to fry. I want him to -- he killed my baby.”
Gabriel Ape, 24, was killed that morning, too -- and Jacksonville police say Wilson pulled the trigger and killed them both.
“It has been so rough,” Thomas said. “We lost a major part of our life. A major part.”
She says she hasn't been able to see her son's body since he was killed. And she wants to know why Wilson was even on the streets after he was arrested on weapons charges last month.
So she spent Monday morning in court, hoping to get those answers at Wilson’s first court appearance. But in a surprise move, the judge moved that first appearance to another courtroom without telling anyone.
“The bailiffs were concerned about protecting people in the courthouse, and that was placed as the number one priority,” defense attorney Wally Paramore said.
Paramore says emotions are high on all sides of this case, and the judge didn't want to take any chances.
The decision dealt a blow to a family hoping to see every step in the process of finding justice for their son.
“I want to be a part of every piece of it,” Thomas said. “Every piece of it.”
Meanwhile, miles away from the courthouse, a makeshift memorial now sits in the shopping center parking lot.
Watts' family takes issue with witnesses who say the men were killed here over money.
They believe a long-simmering feud just finally boiled over.
The fallout now leaves four children without fathers and families on all sides feeling stunned.
Paramore says Wilson’s family is also shocked and saddened by the accusations against him.
Wilson’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 10th.
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