On the night of May 24, 2014, in Bay City, Michigan, a violent encounter outside of Tubby's Bar resulted in the tragic death of 38-year-old Alfred C. 'Butta' Watts. The Black / African American man was fatally shot multiple times, with evidence later revealing that some of the shots were fired into his back and while he was already on the ground. This brutal act cut short the life of a man who was eagerly anticipating the birth of his first son just a few months later.
The investigation
into the shooting quickly led authorities to a suspect, Cruz Devon Hinds. It was reported that Hinds chased Watts before shooting him five times. Following his arrest, Hinds was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, and three counts of felony firearm. The case garnered significant attention as it moved through the legal system, bringing to light the devastating consequences of the night's events.
During his trial, Hinds initially denied possessing a gun or being the shooter. However, when presented with the weapon recovered by police, he admitted to the killing but claimed it was an act of self-defense. Hinds asserted that he had an altercation with another individual and, in the ensuing chaos, mistakenly pursued and shot Watts out of fear for his own life. Despite this claim, the jury was not swayed. The court did provide instructions on self-defense, but ultimately, the jury found Cruz Devon Hinds guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and the associated firearm charges.
Consequently, Hinds received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder conviction. He also received concurrent and consecutive prison terms for the other charges. An appeal was later filed by Hinds, arguing that the trial court had made errors in its instructions to the jury regarding self-defense and the duty to retreat. However, the appellate court upheld the original conviction, ensuring that the man responsible for the death of Alfred C. Butta Watts would remain behind bars.
