The Wrongful Conviction of Joyce Watkins

Joyce Watkins, 74, was exonerated in January 2022 in a Texas court after spending nearly 3 decades in prison because she, alongside her boyfriend Charles Dunn, were wrongfully convicted of aggravated rape and felony murder in 1987.

The victim was Watkins’ great-niece, who was found bleeding and taken to a hospital by Watkins, where she later died. The victim was a child who was under Watkins’ care.

There was documented abuse and neglect of the victim by other individuals. However, the police failed to conduct an adequate investigation into these individuals. Therefore, Watkins and her boyfriend were charged with aggravated rape and felony murder. There was a lack of legitimate evidence during the trial. However, Watkins and Dunn were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

In 2021, new medical evidence found, proved the previous evidence was illegitimate, misleading, and false. While Watkins was exonerated in 2022, Dunn died in jail in 2015. It is unclear whether Watkins would be compensated for the time she was wrongfully incarcerated.

This case exemplifies how a significant number of female exonerates are wrongfully convicted of harming a child under their care.

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