What were the charges against Joey Watkins? Wrongfully convicted Georgia man walks free after spending more than 20 years in prison

Joey Watkins, a man from Georgia, was released from prison after 22 years on September 21, 2023. Watkins was imprisoned after he was accused of a shooting death that took place in 2000. The Georgia man was only 20 years old when he was sentenced to life in prison where he spent over two decades for a crime that he didn't commit.

Joey was wrongfully charged and convicted of the murder of 21-year-old Isaac Dawkins in 2001. Dawkins was driving his truck when he was shot which led to his death. While Joey had a solid alibi, he was still charged with murder.

According to the Rome News Tribune, Joey was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, a weapons violation, and misdemeanor stalking. He was handed all these charges after the jury acquitted him of the murder charge against him.

While Joey was released in January 2023, he still has to wear an ankle monitor and is denied access to fishing, consumption of alcohol, and hunting, among other activities.

A GoFundMe was organized for Joey Watkins by the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP) after his release. The GoFundMe stated that after his release, Joey began working at his family's used car business, Watkins Auto, and is spending time with his family. The page also stated that Joey is "exonerated and free after 22 years."

Joey's fundraiser page (Image via GoFundMe)

Joey was officially exonerated in September. Since the state of Georgia doesn't provide financial compensation to wrongfully imprisoned victims, the fundraiser was set up by the GIP to help Joey get back on his feet. At the time of writing this article, it raised $15,611 out of a target of $20,000.

The GIP team celebrated Joey's freedom in a cafe, where he was quoted that he couldn't express how good he felt.

"Do you know how many times I drove by and looked up at these windows and thought, 'one day I’ll be able to sit up there, have a beer, and actually relax?' Well, that day is finally here and I am SO grateful," Joey added.

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How the justice system failed Joey Watkins

Isaac Dawkins was 21 in 2001 when he was shot in the head and killed while he was driving a white pickup truck on Highway 27 between Rome and Cedartown, Georgia. Joey Watkins, who was 20 at the time, had admitted to driving past the scene of the crime and also of previously engaging in an argument with Dawkins. He said that they had argued over a girl they had both dated on separate occasions.

A year after the shooting, Joey Watkins and his friend, Mark Free were charged with the murder of Isaac Dawkins. Joey's conviction landed him life in prison along with an extra six years. Joey, who was wrongfully imprisoned contacted the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP) for help.

According to the case summary published by GIP on their official website, the state's conviction of Joey had two "glaring issues". The first one is the witness statement that claimed to have seen a small blue car, "interacting aggressively" with Isaac's truck before the incident.

However, the GIP pointed out that on the night of the incident, Joey was driving a pickup truck. He was on his way to Cedartown, 30 miles away, where his girlfriend lived. Several witnesses saw Joey driving the white truck and many other witnesses even saw his truck in Cedartown. The approximate time between both witness reports was 45 minutes.

However, the state maintained that Joey Watkins switched his truck to the blue car, shot and killed Isaac, and switched back to his car before visiting his girlfriend. They seemingly claimed that Joey managed to do all of this in a span of 45 minutes. The GIP, however, said that it was the exact amount of time it took to travel to his girlfriend's place from his house.

Another addition to Joey's alibi was the cell tower records which showcased that he was miles away from the murder scene, at the time of the incident. An investigation was conducted by GIP in concurrence with the true-crime podcast, Undisclosed. The investigation concluded that Joey's constitutional rights were violated in the trial.

In April of 2022, Joey Watkins was granted a new trial by Walker County Superior Court Judge Don Thompson, who overturned his murder conviction.

In the following December, the decision was unanimously affirmed by the Georgia Supreme Court, thereby abandoning Watkins' 2001 conviction. In January 2023, Joey Watkins was released on bond, and on September 21, 2023, he was officially exonerated.