We now have a date set for oral arguments in Joey Watkins’ case. On October 4th, 2022, Joey’s lawyers from GIP and co-counsel Ben Goldberg will go before the Georgia Supreme Court to convince the Justices that the lower court was correct in ruling in Joey’s favor.
In case you need a refresher, after years of litigation and a 3-day hearing in February/March of 2022, Walker County Superior Court Judge Don Thompson GRANTED Joey Watkins’ Habeas Corpus Petition saying:
“The Court finds that the following constitutional violations require the grant of the Writ of Habeas Corpus: (1) the Petitioner’s due process rights and right to confront witnesses were violated when a juror conducted an unauthorized drive test and reported her results to other jurors; (2) the prosecution failed to disclose evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963); and (3) the prosecution presented and also failed to correct false or misleading testimony in violation to Napue v. Illinois, 360 U.S. 264 (1959). The Court finds that any one of these constitutional violations, standing alone, justified the grant of habeas corpus relief in Watkins’ case.”
However, shortly after the decision, the Attorney General’s office appealed the decision, which is why we must now go before the Georgia Supreme court again.
The oral arguments will be streamed live on the Georgia Supreme Court’s website on October 4th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.