Sodomy law upheld, but conviction is stuck
The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday upheld the law that prohibits the solicitation of sodomy, while reversing a conviction of the crime against a police officer.
Former Nashville, Ga., police officer James Edwin Watson was convicted at trial of soliciting sodomy from a 17-year-old boy and for violating his oath of office. Watson appealed, challenging the solicitation statute.
The state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the solicitation law but overturned Watson’s conviction, saying there was insufficient evidence for a jury to find him guilty.
Watson had been sentenced to five years, with two years to be spent in prison and the rest to be served on probation.
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
