Watkins has his say…

Watkins has his say…

Watkins gives his side of the story after judge drops drug charges

news@theeveningtimes.com

One-time Quorum Court candidate and county NAACP second Vice President Kyle Watkins broke his silence after his felony drug arrest was thrown out of Shelby County Court on Aug. 25. Watkins had disappeared from social media and had remained silent since his felony drug arrest on January 19. He was represented by Memphis Attorney Leslie Ballin and exonerated in a hearing. All charges related to a felony marijuana and methamphetamine possession with intent were thrown out by Judge Robert Carter, Jr.

The judge heard conflicting stories from law enforcement at the scene of the arrest and the testimony of a witness who recanted on a statement that led to Watkins arrest. The man said police sat on his chest and threatened to take his heart pump if he didn’t finger somebody for a methamphetamine package in his home with an estimated street value of $80,000 that had been delivered to his house under deputies control. Watkins was there, but the package was unopened and not in his name. The judge dismissed the case against Watkins.

“What else could they do?” said Watkins. “When you have nothing to do with anything, they have to drop the charges.”

Watkins said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He showed up at his cousin Kyal White’s Shelby County home about thirty minutes after the package containing 925 grams of meth had been delivered under the control of Shelby County deputies.

“They basically tried to set somebody up for a sting, but it wasn’t that,” said Watkins. “To this day, I never saw any drugs. It was my cousin’s house and it turned out to be police brutality. They roughed up everybody there and they made him say what he did because they wanted to pin the package on somebody.

It was never opened and they wanted someone to claim it. He told them he was going to return it to the postal service. I have the affidavit. The police had contradictory statements and all that is why they dismissed it.”

The false accusations thrown out and the case closed, Watkins, a resident of Proctor, planned to resume life as a public figure including working with county youth in West Memphis.

“I’m back down there with the Jaguars,” said Watkins.

“We’re going to find us our own building or we are going to build one, that is the next step. We are coming with a different alternative; we are not going to keep begging for a place.

That is not going to happen. We are going to get a grant. We need a building because in coming Novembers the boys need something to do to stop going to jail. The streets are ridiculous, everyday kids are getting shot and they are way to young for that. I’m back active.”

Watkins said he would return to politics as a candidate for second run at Quorum Court seat 7, a close race in the Democrat primary that forced a runoff vote.

“I’ll be running for Justice of the Peace again,” said Watkins. “It was close last time and enough of the youth I’ve been working with have reached voting age to make a difference in the next outcome.”

Watkins had been suspended from his office as Second Vice President of the Crittenden County NAACP pending the outcome of the drug arrest. He expected to be reinstated to his office. County NAACP President Shabaka Afrika saw no reason to hold onto Kyle Watkins suspension.

Afrika indicated, that pending local board approval, Watkins would resume serving as Second Vice President.

“There no reason not to,” said Afrika. “He has been exonerated by the court and I expect he will be back in good standing. There is nothing against him.”

By John Rech