Arlon Watson given long sentence for murder of Compton teenager



Problems and solutions

Judge Eleanor J. Hunter was not happy with Arlon Watson’s behavior in court. She was fed up with his giggling, irreverence, and open disdain for the prosecution. But before she spoke directly to the convicted murderer, she said a few words about his family. “I know your family has been here throughout this process,” she said. “And they’ve been kind and courteous. Your people have been great in this court. But looking at you, Mr. Watson, I can see that in this instance, the apple did indeed fall very far from the tree.”

After over three weeks of trial and jury deliberation, Judge Hunter sentenced 22-year-old Compton resident Arlon Watson to 80 years to life in prison for the fatal shooting of high school student Dannie Farber, Jr.

Earlier in the week, a jury found Watson guilty of first-degree murder. In contrast to the dress shirts and slacks he wore during the trial, Watson appeared before the judge on Wednesday in a blue LA County Jail jumpsuit. He declined to make a public statement.

Two members of Farber’s family took the opportunity to stand up and share what was on their hearts. Kenneth McGee, who helped raise Farber from early on, said justice would be served if the judge gave Watson “whatever he’s got coming to him.” McGee choked back tears and excused his language as he described Farber as “one hell of a good athlete.” He remembered the shock of going from helping to plan a high school prom to suddenly planning a funeral. As he spoke, Farber’s mother, Danielle Lewis, crossed her arms on the back of the seat in front of her and put her head in the crook of her elbow.
image

Farber’s aunt, Rachel Malveaux, struggled to make it through her first sentence, her voice cracking as soon as she began to speak. A clerk brought her a box of tissues. “Parents are supposed to go before you,” she said, “but these days it seems like children are going before their parents.”

Watson appeared unaffected by the words of Farber’s family. He smiled eerily and exchanged seemingly light-hearted words with his attorney as McGee and Malveaux spoke.

After the family’s statements, Deputy District Attorney Joe Porras said he had submitted a recommendation for sentencing to the judge, hoping she would take into consideration a prior conviction for robbery and gang and gun allegations that were also found to be true.

Porras also offered an emotional reaction at the end of the trial. “I’ve worked on around 30 murder trials, and this is the only one where the murder was actually captured on video,” Porras said, referring to a security tape from the restaurant where Farber was eating when he was shot. “Those 40 seconds of video are going to be with me long after retirement.”

Defense attorney Tracy Grayson had nothing to say on behalf of Watson, but did object to Porras’ statements, saying they were part of an overly emotional and rehearsed act put on for the news camera in the courtroom.

Judge Hunter overruled his objection.

Before officially issuing the sentence, the judge spoke pointedly to Watson.

“You can smile and giggle all you want, but you’re a murderer,” she said. “You can go back to your gang people and high five them, but one day my words will come back and haunt you.”

“It’s not just that you took a life. It’s the life you took,” Hunter continued. “People can be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. Dannie Farber was part of the solution and you are part of the problem.”

Hunter gave Watson the maximum sentence, 80 years to life, for the combination of his murder, gang, gun, and robbery charges. She said the possibility for parole was unlikely.

Hunter concluded: “We saw pure evil in this court, and is you, Arlon Watson.”

A family still in mourning

Listen to audio of Kennth McGee reacting to the sentencing of Arlon Watson.

For Farber’s family members, who have been in court for every day of the trial, the morning of the sentencing felt like the emotional culmination of the long search for Farber’s murderer.

Sitting outside the courtroom, Farber’s mother reflected on the guilty verdict and sentencing.

“I’m just glad it’s over, just happy that justice was served,” she said. “It won’t bring Dannie back, but I’m glad Watson’s off the street, somewhere where he won’t be able to hurt another family like he hurt our family.”

Michelle Malveaux, Farber’s grandmother agreed. “I’m happy for the verdict. I’m ready to get my party on.”

Around 25 friends and family members of Farber’s attended the hearing, and Malveaux seemed to be the cheerleader of the bunch, greeting everyone as they gathered. She wore a pin with a picture of Farber, but wished she could have made T-shirts. “We make T-shirts to celebrate everything related to Dannie,” she explained. “Dannie’s birthday, holidays, everything, we do a T-shirt. I’ve got a sign in my front yard with his picture on it. After today, I’m getting another sign that says ‘justice is served.’”

Once she sat down, her energy momentarily waned. Today she felt a particular kind of sadness, similar to how she felt the day she first learned Farber had been killed. “It’s not my body that’s tired,” she said, “It’s my brain.”

McGee shared a similar sentiment. “Emotions are running high today,” he said.

He tipped his head back, and spoke about Dannie. “Whatever he set his mind out to do, he achieved. He had this football shirt that said ‘Finish’ on it, so whenever I’m struggling, I think about that. I’m going to finish everything I start, including coming to every single day of this trial.

“The worst part now is watching your son’s mother cry every night and morning and not being able to fix it. I can fix a lot of things, but not a broken heart.”

Beyond wreaking emotional havoc, the trial has also taken a physical toll on McGee, who switched his shift at Metro to work at night. Every morning for almost the past month, McGee would come to court straight off his work shift, go home, “sleep for an hour or two” in the afternoon and return to his night shift at Metro that evening.

McGee said Watson was a coward. “People say it’s a loss on both sides. I don’t feel that way. His family can still go see him in prison, but I’ve got to go to a cemetery if I want to see my son.”

“Today I feel satisfaction, but not closure,” he said. “I still live with the pain every day.”

Other stories on the Arlon Watson Trial:
Compton Court hears closing arguments in Arlon Watson Trial

Watson trial offers glimpse inside deadly deep-rooted gang rivalries

Comments

  1. JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED FOR MY FAMILY!!! IT WILL NEVER BRING DANNIE BACK; HOWEVER, WE CAN NOW BEGIN TO SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT SUCH EVIL IS NO LONGER LERKING ON THE STREETS.WE PRAY FOR THIS MAN THAT HE WILL FIND IT IN HIS HEART TO BE REMORSEFUL AND REPENT. HE SHATTERED OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF HIS LOVED ONES WHO MAY HAVE LOVED HIM AS WELL; ALTHOUGH, THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. DANNIE’S MEMORY WILL ALWAYZ REMAIN ALIVE IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE AND IN OUR HEARTS. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO THIS CASE. THESE PEOPLE WERE GREAT AND WE NOW CONSIDER THEM “PART OF THE FAMILY” BECAUSE THEY REALLY DID CARE….THANK GOD!!!!!

  2. debra lindsey says:

    the night dannie was murdered i would have never thought i would find out later that the man i seen running was the man who killed dannie i guess god put you in the right places for reasons i have been posted in front of rite aid with the signs the wall of shame it is a shame because ever week someone stops by to let us know about one of there family members have be murdered my prayers or with you and your family Debra Lindsey ( 3106313531)

  3. i really didnt care wat happen to danny becuz yu pussy niccas act like he wasnt frm NHPK FUCC DIRUS N HIS FAMILY

  4. poor little dannie he really was a good boy playing with guns throwing up the piru gang sign and then what happen next hes dead all because of what he chose to do on his facebook letting the world know hes a piru and from 151 and thought he was safe in his hood this is what happens when u bang death or jail dannie got death arlon got 80 no more football for dannie life in jail cell phones visit music weed football pools showers packages

  5. free arlon watson there was no justice, the vitums family uis happy some one got connvicted and ive know dannie and ive known arlon for years so it a lost for both parties till they free arlon watson ama fight for my friend… freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee arlonnn watson

  6. Arlon Watson is a BITCH who will DIE in Prison. He’ll be punked out by the Mexican gangs too.

    But what’s even BETTER is that his UGLY ass mother will hopefully DIE in a few years….. and he won’t be able to go to the BITCHE’S funeral.

    I can’t wait for Arlons mother to DIE. He won’t even be able to cry over the bitch.

    THAT is JUSTICE.

  7. WoW keith u sound like a BiTCH U WILL DIE BEFORE arlon so watch your back u punk ass boy before i send the boogie man to see u I DO NOT THINK YOUR MOM WOULD LIKE TO BE SITTING ON THE FRONT ROW U HOE

  8. no justice mn 80 yrs to an innocent man… for something he didnt do… it badd to c this happend to dannie becuz i know him yeah dman to from piru y u bullshytn we gets no justice free arlon watson till they free arlon watson

  9. Mental heath care professionals will often use hypnoses to recovered memory movement. Is it many times the best way to find the underlying truth! When under hypnosis you may also find other psychological issues that are causing dreaming of murder.
    Unfortunately our subconscious mind crosses into our conscious world. This is a human brain behavior that we have no control over. An example of undesirable dreams that are related to being a murderer is an adult woman that was abused by her father as a child. She may have a dream of murder and castration of the abuser (Her father). With the right medical care and analysis this frightening, reoccurring dream can be overcome.kitchen remodel remodeling kitchen cabinets good contractor info kitchen desire kitchen

  10. @ Keith nigga ima find you nigga and make sure yo bitch ass regret wishing death on my moms bitch nigga TOT and @ you otha bitch ass dannie farbers lovers fucc yall too straight up and down my Brothers being innocent didn’t matter when it all boild down too it dats crazy how you and your family can sit at home everynight knowing that yall put a innocent Father of beautiful niece of mines away in prison for the rest of his life . And too dannie farber succa ass pops ” I got to coward ” trust tht ima show to bitch ass a coward alright . And sad to say but my brother a LoCC so wen he touchdown in them prison walls I know he gone do his Stuff .

    Ps . FREE ARLON WATSON

Speak Your Mind

*