A 74-year-old woman spent 27 years in prison for a murder she didn't commit. This week she was exonerated

Authored by edition.cnn.com and submitted by ashisht1122

(CNN) A Tennessee woman who was wrongfully convicted of murdering her great-niece and spent 27 years in prison, was exonerated this week.

On June 26, 1987, Joyce Watkins, now 74, and her boyfriend at the time, Charlie Dunn, went to pick up Watkins four-year-old great-niece, Brandi, in Kentucky, according to a report filed with the Davidson County Criminal Court.

The next morning Brandi was unresponsive, so Watkins took her to Nashville Memorial Hospital.

Brandi suffered from severe vaginal injury and head trauma . She was pronounced dead the following day, the report stated. The two were with Brandi for only nine hours, but the medical examiner, Dr. Gretel Harlan, concluded the injuries were sustained during that time.

A year later, in August 1988, Watkins and Dunn were convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated rape.

Bluewolf94 on January 16th, 2022 at 02:29 UTC »

That’s 27 years of her life that she won’t get back, all due to negligence. Absolutely awful.

mrbriandavidanderson on January 16th, 2022 at 01:43 UTC »

There's nothing they can do to give back her 27 years or her husband but I hope they're trying. This woman should not have to lift a finger as long as she lives.

2cats2hats on January 16th, 2022 at 01:01 UTC »

The two spent 27 years behind bars before they were both granted parole in 2015. Before his release, Dunn, unfortunately, passed away in jail.

For those who read only headlines, her husband was also imprisoned and died there. He was posthumously exonerated.

As far as Watkins or Dunn's family getting compensated for their wasted time spent in jail, Gichner said he is unsure of what will happen down the road.

What an awful disgusting story.