Boulder woman takes plea deal in stabbing case

A Boulder woman accused of stabbing a man in the stomach last year has entered into a plea agreement and been given a deferred sentence.

Loulillian Watson, 20, pleaded guilty Thursday in Boulder District Court to second-degree assault.

As part of the plea agreement, Watson was sentenced to a two-year deferred sentence, with two years of probation.

A deferred sentence means that if Watson completes the terms of her probation and avoids any new criminal charges, her guilty plea will be withdrawn and the charge will be dismissed.

Prosecutors dismissed the remaining charges, including first-degree assault. Watson had initially pleaded not guilty and was set for trial in April, but that trial was vacated following the plea.

Boulder Deputy District Attorney Allison Brand said the plea was “appropriate and just” given Watson’s lack of criminal history, age and willingness to take responsibility.

Brand also noted the named victim in the case agreed with the resolution.

Defense attorney Jennifer Engelmann also said the plea agreement was an appropriate resolution.

“There was no desire of Ms. Watson to hurt (the victim) in the way that he was hurt, they were both pretty clear about that,” Engelmann said.

According to an affidavit, Boulder police were called to Boulder Community Health’s Foothills Hospital on Feb. 3, 2022, after a man had shown up at the hospital with a stab wound to his abdomen.

A doctor told police the man had suffered a 3-inch deep stab wound that penetrated his liver and presented a substantial risk of death.

According to the affidavit, the man told police he and Watson had an argument and “got into it,” at the man’s Boulder apartment. The man said he grabbed Watson’s wallet and that she then got a kitchen knife and “jabbed” at him several times, stabbing him once in the abdomen.

The man told police he tried to call 911, but Watson took the phone from him and hid it and would not allow him to leave the apartment until he promised not to tell police about the incident. The man said he drove himself to the hospital but that Watson went with him to ensure he did not say anything.

According to the affidavit, the man initially told hospital staff he “cut himself” while Watson was there, and only later agreed to speak to police once Watson was gone.

Police went back to the apartment and did not find the knife, but they did find bloody clothes with a hole torn in them.

When police spoke to Watson, she initially said it was an accident and that the man “came into” the knife. She then said that it was a “play” between the two and it was something that they “did all the time.”

According to the affidavit, Watson then said the man had threatened to cut her bag with scissors and that she considered that to be similar to a threat against her.

Watson denied not allowing the man to use his phone, though she did not answer when police asked why nobody called 911.