TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Craig M. Watkins 1967-2023 Former Dallas County (TX) District Attorney
F ormer Dallas County, TX district attorney Craig M. Watkins (Zeta Beta 1989) entered the Chapter on December 12, 2023. In 2006, Watkins made Texas state political history when he was the first elected African-Amer- ican district attorney serving [2007-2015]. As district attorney, Watkins attracted state and national recognition for his work. He was featured in Texas Monthly, Jet, and Ebony magazines in 2007. In 2008, the Dallas Morning News named Watkins Texan of the Year. During the same year, he was featured on an episode of 60 Minutes. Watkins also appeared on PBS NewsHour in a live inter- view with journalist Ray Suarez for his office’s 2011 exoneration of Cornelies Dupree, who was previ- ously convicted of armed robbery in Texas. Craig Marcus Watkins
Thompson had 242 carries for 877 yards, 42 catches for 259 yards, and scored 1 touchdown. In 2004, Thompson earned his master’s of education from Edinboro (PA) University. He was a career educator and behavioral specialist in the Erie School District for 10+ years, taught at Mercyhurst College for one year, and worked at the Bethesda Leadership Center. He was instrumental in helping many young men. He donated timeless hours and resources to many orga- nizations in the Erie area, including youth basketball camps and education programs at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Brother Alexander W. Thompson, Jr., was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife, Stacey Thompson; daughter Corrinda Crockett; sisters Gloria Glenn and Rita Thompson; and grand- daughter Jodi Jones. ♦
November 16, 1967. He attended Dallas Inde- pendent School District schools, graduating from David W. Carter High School in 1986. Watkins attended Prairie View A&M University, major- ing in political science, and graduating in 1990. He later earned his Juris Doctorate from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and was part of the inaugural graduating class of 1994. After law school, Wat- kins worked in the Dallas city attorney and public defender’s office. He subsequently left the City of Dallas office and formed his private practice, Craig Watkins Attorney at Law, PLLC, where he worked mainly as a licensed bail bondsman. Losing first campaign in 2002 for Dallas County District Attorney, Watkins won the election in 2006 and became the first African American district attorney elected in Texas. He served
as district attorney from 2007 until 2015, during which time he was credited with securing a 99.4% con- viction rate with a focus on prosecuting cases of child sexual abuse. Watkins also worked to resolve cases of wrongful conviction through DNA testing and the review of evidence illegally withheld from defense attorneys. While in office, Mr. Watkins abandoned the established practice of routinely opposing defendants’ motions for DNA testing. He created a Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) to review cases involving allegations of wrongful conviction. In an interview con- ducted before he passed, Watkins reflected on the CIU. “We instituted what’s called a Conviction Integ- rity Unit. And that unit’s primary responsibility is to make sure that the convic- tions that we obtain have integrity…that the correct decision was made.
was born to Richard and Paula Watkins on
SUMMER 2024 ♦ THE JOURNAL 51
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