Community Corner
Rhode Island Legislator Appears in Court on East Haven DUI Charges
State Rep. Robert Watson denies he was driving drunk or took cocaine and vows to fight those charges in court.
After appearing in New Haven Superior Court on DUI and drug possession charges Tuesday, embattled Rhode Island state Rep. Robert Watson denied the drunken driving charge or that he used cocaine and vowed to mount a vigorous legal defense against the charges.
During the brief court appearance, Judge Karen Sequino granted a defense motion to preserve the urine sample taken as evidence on April 22 when Watson, of East Greenwich, R.I., failed a field sobriety test at a police DUI checkpoint on Route 80 in East Haven.
After he was arrested, police reported they found a small quantity of marijuana and a smoking pipe in his pocket, and a lab test found both marijuana and cocaine in his urine sample.
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The Republican caucus of the Rhode Island House of Representatives stripped him of his position of Minority Leader because of the DUI and marijuana possession charges.
After the hearing, Watson commented on the charges to reporters outside the courthouse. When he cut off their questions, reporters chased him for a block until he stopped and talked some more.
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"I think it’s fair and reasonable to ask that I be allowed to address this matter in a courtroom," he said.
But he also acknowledged that as an elected public official, he was subject to a higher level of scrutiny than an ordinary citizen.
Watson denied that he was driving while intoxicated or that he had taken cocaine. He said he had pleaded not guilty, but Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph LaMotta said that was not the case. LaMotta said although the hearing was officially an arraignment, Watson was not required to enter a plea at the hearing and did not do so.
Watson was the first defendant called before the judge and the entire appearance took about one minute.
The next court appearance was set for July 21.
Watson said he did not want to discuss the case with news reporters until after it has been resolved in court.
"As I have said, I intend to address this in a legal fashion in a court of law, not in the media, not in the newspapers, and I think that’s fair and reasonable,” he said. “Like any citizen, I’m allowed that privilege and I’m going to exercise that right."
