43-year-old Georgia man who spent over half his life in prison "cried like a baby" after murder charges dropped

A judge dismissed a murder charge against a Georgia man who spent more than 20 years in prison, ending a decadeslong legal fight to exonerate him.

The Floyd County judge dismissed the case at the request of the district attorney, who decided not to bring Joey Watkins to trial again after his initial conviction was vacated. The Georgia Innocence Project and other attorneys waged a lengthy fight to overturn the conviction.

Watkins and his attorneys said they wept as they called him to say the charges were being dropped.