Certificate of Exoneration for Joyce Watkins Unanimously Recommended by TN Board of Parole

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, The Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously voted to recommend that Governor Lee issue a Certificate of Exoneration to Joyce Watkins. Their recommendation came after multiple witnesses testified, to a packed room of supporters, about the evidence which proves Ms. Watkins is actually innocent and spent 27 years in prison for a crime she did not commit.  This recommendation was a watershed moment in Watkins’ case.  

This decision comes over two years after charges against Joyce Watkins were vacated by the Davidson County Criminal Court, and subsequently dismissed by the Davidson County District Attorney's Office, a process that is generally regarded as exoneration by the innocence community. In order to seek compensation for her wrongful conviction, however, Tennessee law requires that Ms. Watkins receive an additional Certificate of Exoneration from the Governor.  

“There is no person more deserving of exoneration than Joyce Watkins, and it has been an honor to represent her in connection with her request,” remarked Barnes & Thornburg partner JD Thomas, who provided counsel to Joyce Watkins alongside Barnes & Thornburg attorney Mackenzie Hobbs.  

“We believe that when Governor Lee’s office reviews her file and the Board’s recommendation, [they] will agree with the determination of both the Board of Parole and the Davidson County Criminal Court that she is actually innocent.”  

During this hearing, numerous witnesses testified about Joyce Watkins’ character and innocence, including the Davidson County CRU Director Sunny Eaton and Coffee County Commissioner, Jackie Duncan.  

TIP Deputy Director and Senior Legal Counsel Jason Gichner, who represented Ms. Watkins throughout her court proceedings, and testified on her behalf at this hearing, viewed Tuesday as a triumphant moment in her decades-long journey to prove her innocence.  

“It was incredibly meaningful that the Board listened to the evidence and believed Joyce; believed what we've always known, which is that she didn't commit this crime,” says Gichner. “I am grateful for the Board for doing the right thing. I'm grateful to our friends at Barnes and Thornburg who so effectively advocated on her behalf. Mostly, I’m happy for Joyce who is a truly remarkable person.” 

For Joyce Watkins, the Board’s decision was cause for celebration and relief.  

“I felt good about Tuesday,”, recalled Watkins. “My family was there- there were so many people that supported me. Maybe I’m a bit more relaxed now, just waiting for the Governor to sign his paper. This is the only relaxed day I’ve had in a long time. I’m going to sit on my porch and enjoy the day.” 

To learn more about Joyce Watkins’ case and the work of the Tennessee Innocence Project, click the link here.