Livingston dad gets prison for slapping daughter who alleged forced exorcism

Allie Gross | Detroit Free Press

A Livingston County man is heading to prison for slapping his teen daughter during an argument that she says arose after he and other members of the family tried to perform a forced exorcism.

William Ellis Watt of Gregory was sentenced to one to 10 years in prison for third-offense domestic violence Friday for an incident that occurred in September.

According to a police report filed by his daughter last fall, around 10:30 a.m. Sept. 24, the then-18-year-old was sitting on a couch watching television when Watt, his wife and son approached her and began chanting “the power of Christ compels you.”

The brother, who had been repairing a wall in the house just prior, began smearing plaster on her face, the report said, and then family members tipped the couch she was sitting on and threw a reusable water bottle at her, which left a cut on her nose.

The teen was able to leave what she described as a forced exorcism and go to work.

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But when she returned home that night, the report said, Watt confronted her while she was eating and accused her of stealing his food. During a back and forth over the meal, the teen told police, Watt slapped her across the cheek. Eventually, a friend came and picked her up, which is when she called the police.



While Watt has maintained his innocence, stating that the “false accusations” came from an “arrogant” and “deceitful” teen, Livingston County Court Judge Miriam Cavanaugh wasn’t buying it.



“You beat up your family. When are you going to learn?” she said during the sentencing.



“You can’t put your hands on your adult children. You don’t get to kick around your kids because they’re your kids,” she added. “You don’t get to grab her neck or slap her in the face.”

Watt has a criminal history dating to 1997, when he was charged with domestic violence for assault of a family member. In the two decades since, he has accrued an extensive rap sheet. In 2001, he was convicted of domestic violence and phone interruption for assaulting his wife and then trying to disconnect the phone when she attempted to call 9-1-1 for help. Three years later, in 2004, Watt was accused of choking his then 16-year-old son. In 2008, he was convicted of two counts of felonious assault with a dangerous weapon, which led to his first prison sentence. After being released in 2011, he was convicted of assault with intent to strangle his daughter. He was sentenced to 10 months in jail. Shortly after being released is when the most recent incident occurred.

"Clearly, he earned a prison sentence," said Livingston County Prosecutor William J. Vailliencourt Jr. "You cannot look at his conduct in a vacuum, and when you look at the length of his history of violence and family violence, he earned a prison sentence."

Livingston Daily reporter Lisa Roose-Church contributed. Contact Allie Gross: aegross@freepress.com