A Floyd County man is trying to rebuild his life, and a Georgia organization is raising money to help.
Joey Watkins spent the last 23 years in prison only to be exonerated last week, and now the fight begins for compensation for the years he lost behind bars.
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Channel 2’s Candace McCowan spoke with Watkins on Tuesday.
This is the first week in 23 years that Watkins can call himself a free man.
Watkins was convicted of killing Isaac Dawkins in Floyd County in 2001, when he was 20 years old. Prosecutors said he pulled the trigger, killing Dawkins while driving.
But he maintained his innocence the entire time.
“Part of me wanted to believe in the justice system, but over time I realized the justice system is not what people believe,” Watkins said.
For years, the Georgia Innocence Project fought on his behalf, alleging misconduct by jurors and prosecutors.
“The defense was deprived of some evidence that legally should have been presented but wasn’t, and that was one of the reasons the judge overturned Joey’s case,” said Christina Cribbs of the Georgia Innocence Project.
Ultimately, a judge granted Watkins a new trial, which was scheduled for November. But last week, with the stroke of a pen, Joey was free.
“We now have a document signed by the prosecutor and the judge confirming that there is no evidence that would allow them to re-sentence Joey,” Cribbs said.
Joey is now ready for his second chance.
The Georgia Innocence Project is raising money to help him get back on his feet and promising to fight for federal compensation for his time behind bars.
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“What we have is a very long, complicated political process for people like Joey to be compensated for the years lost,” Cribbs added.
Even after losing 23 years of his life in prison, Watkins said he wasn’t angry. Instead, he focuses on the little things that most people take for granted.
“I can actually get up in the morning, have a cup of coffee and talk to my mom,” Watkins said.
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