Tuesday, March 11, 2008
News / BMF Drug defendant linked to Mayor Shirley Franklin's ex-son-in-law pleads guilty, will cooperate with feds
Posted by Mara Shalhoup on Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 9:14 PM
GREENVILLE — A drug associate of Mayor Shirley Franklin's ex-son-in-law pleaded guilty to federal charges today, bringing an abrupt end to his trial on cocaine trafficking.
Watkins has been identified in federal documents and in open court as the person who supplied Kai Franklin Graham's then-husband, Tremayne Graham, with a gun that was later used to kill Graham's co-defendant, Ulysses Hackett, and Hackett's girlfriend, Misty Carter. No arrests have been made in the 2004 double-murder of Hackett and Carter, who were killed as they lay in bed inside Carter's Highland Avenue townhouse.
Like Watkins, Kai Franklin Graham — the mayor's daughter — also signed a cooperation agreement when she pleaded guilty in December 2007 to minor charges related to her ex-husband's crime ring.
Franklin Graham is scheduled to be sentenced Monday in federal court in Greenville on charges that she made structured financial payments to avoid federal detection. She, Graham, Watkins and more than a dozen other defendants linked to Graham have had cases brought in South Carolina, where Graham's drug ring delivered multi-kilo shipments of cocaine from Atlanta.
Tremayne Graham currently is serving a life sentence in a maximum-security federal prison for his role in a large-scale cocaine enterprise that the government has tied to the Atlanta-based Black Mafia Family. Graham was married to the mayor's daughter when the indictment against him was handed up in April 2004. The couple divorced in 2005, after Graham became a fugitive.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Moore would not comment on whether a murder indictment might be brought against Graham or whether Watkins' and Franklin Graham's cooperation would be sought in that investigation. "I can't talk about possible indictments," Moore said.
According to testimony offered during Graham's April 2007 sentencing, Graham suspected Hackett was a threat.
"Tremayne had concerns about Hackett being able to finger him," Scott King, another one of Graham's co-defendants, testified at the hearing. Moments later, King told the court that Graham "discussed getting a gun from Ernest [Watkins] to take care of the murder."
King testified that Graham later told him he had in fact been given a gun by Watkins, and that he in turn gave the gun to the head of their cocaine ring, Jerry "J-Rock" Davis. According to court documents, an associate of Davis', Jamad "Soup" Ali, was spotted by a witness leaving Misty Carter's townhouse shortly after she and Hackett were killed.
In addition to pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, Watkins admitted to making false statements to the government, a charge that stemmed from his 2006 appearance before a federal grand jury that was investigating Graham.
Though Watkins lied to the grand jury to protect Graham, he allegedly faced retribution for his actions. According to a document filed in Watkins' case late last year: "The United States ... has evidence that Watkins' arms bear burn marks and scars as the result of his kidnaping [sic.] and torture by drug dealing acquaintances of co-conspirator Tremayne Graham."
Watkins denied that he was tortured, claiming that the scars came from a motorcycle accident. As a result, the government hired an expert to examine the scars in an attempt to prove their origin. Results of the examination have not been made public.
"We never resolved that issue one way or another," Moore said.
Comments (21)
Showing 1-21 of 21
WHY TELL ANYWAY IT GO YOU STILL GOING TO JAIL!!! THE ATL NEEDS NEW EXPOSURE CHECK THIS OUT!!! "HONEY BROWN" WWW.CDBABY.COM/HONEYBROWNMUSIC WWW.MYSPACE.COM/HONEYBROWNMUSIC
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Thanks for the updates! Does anyone know if they have apprehended Blu Davinci yet?
Ernest is a very nice respectable guy! He got caught up in some terrible issues with in this click!!! He will come out of this a better man. Please pray for him & his family.
Yeah, it's an unfortunite situation. He needs all the our prayers. Muah!!! Miss you babe...
This is an unfortunite situation. He needs all of our prayers. Muah...I miss you babe!!!
Has Ernest Watkins been sentenced yet? Does anyone know? How did he get caught up in such a MESS! Was Kai Graham totally in the blind as to what was actually going on?
Hey DW. Ernest Watkins has not been sentenced yet, and I don't believe the judge has set a date yet. Hope that helps.
Is there any new news about Ernest? I've Googled 'till I'm blue & can find nothing! We all are at a loss on how to find him.
I wrote to him @ the jail & it was returned. If ne 1 knows how to send him mail please post it. He would love to recieve letters in such a difficult time!
Ernest appreciates everybodys concern and says thank you! Please keep him in your prayers.
Whoever can contact Ernest let him know that he's in my prayers and heart everyday. And that I miss him dearly!!! Let him know that he's still my handsome boo!And Cold as Ice!!
Ernest, please contact Kevin & Kara to let us know that you're ok...if you need anything..we're here. 8/12/08
Ernie, if you get this message...please contact Kevin & Kara...heavy on here mind!! We're here for you...keep the faith!! 8/12/08
He's doing well, feeling good and as always- holding it together! I'll pass ur msg's on...
Thanks Cupcake...how can we contact him...it would mean alot to us...thanks K&K...marq599@yahoo.com
Cuz... i really dont know how to react with all of this... we grew up with NOOO knowledge of this life u kno... but we live and we learn! Us in Ga.. we love u sooo much i c ur pops and remember gettin tha call that u were at the cheese cake fact. showin my moms and pops a gr8t time! I love u mann and i cant wait till this shit is ova! Ur on our mind all tha time!
Dag, it's been years but Ernest was my buddy from FAMU, anyone knows where is is now? DAMN, I'm here in shock!!!
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