In the summer of 1987, Joyce Watkins received a call from her sister asking for help caring for their 4 year old great niece who lived in Georgia. Joyce agreed to come pick up the little girl and bring her to her home in Nashville, TN. Joyce noticed almost immediately that the girl was acting strangely and suffering from abnormal vaginal bleeding. 

Joyce took her to the hospital and learned that the little girl suffered from a vaginal injury and bleeding on the brain. She received emergency care but died the next day.

After an investigation that relied on an erroneous autopsy report and little else, Joyce was charged with the sexual abuse and death of the child. She was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Kemba Smith spent 6.5 years of a 24.5 year sentence in federal prison for her boyfriend’s criminal activity, until President Bill Clinton granted her clemency. Now, Kemba is a public speaker, writer, and educator on a variety of criminal justice issues, including mandatory drug sentencing, women and incarceration, and re-entry.

When Kemba read about Joyce’s story, she was reminded of her own, and knew they had to meet. Kemba was taken aback by what a model citizen Joyce was and the horrific injustice that befell her – an entirely innocent woman. Through this interview, Kemba has gained strength from witnessing Joyce’s resilience, and she is motivated to continue to highlight the need for justice. 

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.tninnocence.org/watkins-dunn-exonerated

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

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