Welcome, everyone, to episode 23 of Undisclosed.

This week's episode is brought to you by two great sponsors, SimplySafe Home Security

and Stamps.com.

Listen in for the spots later in the show and make sure to support our sponsors because they support us.

Until then, enjoy the program.

Thank you. us. Until then, enjoy the program. Last week, we wrapped up with Joey's conviction and sentence. In many cases, there are no appeals.

Appeals are lengthy and expensive processes that rarely pay off.

The bar to get a conviction overturned is incredibly high.

And there are too many ways, just like a trial,

that lawyers can mess up or miss things. And there are too many ways, just like a trial, that lawyers can

mess up or miss things. And sometimes appeals don't work because lawyers who do mess up don't

admit it. Hi and welcome to episode 23 of Undisclosed, the State v. Joey Watkins. My name is

Robbie Achadri. I'm an attorney, a fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the author of

a non-story. I'm here as always with my colleague Susan Simpson and Colin Miller. I'm an attorney, a fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the author of a non-story.

I'm here, as always, with my colleague Susan Simpson and Colin Miller.

I'm Susan Simpson. I'm an attorney with the Volkov Law Group, and I blog at viewfumel2.com.

I'm Colin Miller. I'm an associate dean and professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, and I blog at evidence prof blog.

Music University of South Carolina School of Law, and I blog a evidence prof blog. As we noted last episode, Joey was convicted of murder and related crimes and sentenced to

life plus five years on July 2nd, 2001. The next day, on July 3rd, 2001, Rex Abernathy filed an initial motion for a new trial.

The motion claimed that a new trial was warranted on two general grounds.

These grounds are both contained in the Georgia Code.

First, pursuant to Section 5-5-20 of that code,

...