Watkins v. State

Noah Watkins was convicted for the capital murder-kidnapping of Kathryn P. Clark and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. On appeal, Watkins argues that his inculpatory statement to Birmingham Police Sergeant Juanita Eaton Evans should not have been admitted into evidence because his mental retardation and limited intelligence prevented him from understanding the Miranda warnings.

The trial judge suppressed the statement Watkins gave to Birmingham Police Sergeant Robert Walker at the city jail at 1:00 o'clock on the morning of April 23, 1984, finding insufficient evidence that Walker…