Ninth court won’t hear Beaumont attorney’s love triangle lawsuit

A Beaumont attorney who filed suit after his love triangle went south had his petition for writ of mandamus shut down by the Ninth Court of Appeals on Thursday.

Alleging malicious prosecution and instigation of false imprisonment, Alto Watson III filed suit against Paul Chargois and Amy Delgado on Feb. 18, 2014, in Jefferson County District Court

Watson claims Chargois attacked him when he found him with Delgado and the two defendants then conspired to fabricate a story blaming Watson to keep Chargois from going to jail.

Court records show the case is set to go to trial July 13. Watson moved for a continuance, maintaining more time was needed for discovery, but was denied by the trial court, prompting his appeal.

“This is a mess and it is really related to the trial court attempting to shove the case to the arbitrary rocket docket trial date of July 13th 2015, a mere 17 months after the case was filed,” Watson writes in his petition for mandamus.

The Ninth Court’s judgment states having considered Watson’s petition for writ of mandamus, concludes that the petition “should be denied.”

The lawsuit alleges that Watson began dating Delgado in April 2013, unaware that she was also dating Chargois. Watson was invited over to the Delgado home on May 22, 2013, and Chargois found out about the visit.

Watson’s original petition alleges that Chargois went to the Delgado home and beat Watson with fists and with a gun, then took Delgado and fled.

The complaint alleges the two created a story while they were alone to cover for Chargois’ crimes and later told police that Watson had come to the home uninvited and had attacked Delgado.

Watson was arrested and charged for the crimes, which were dismissed, court records show.

According to his original petition, Watson is seeking a public apology from Chargois and Delgado, to be published and circulated to the media at their expense, or in excess of $1 million, plus medical expenses, and court costs.

Case No. D195-343