After nearly six years of broadcasting his program “The First Step Radio Show,” on WGAC radio, State Court Chief Judge David Watkins is hanging up his headphones and turning off the mic.
While Watkins will no longer be broadcasting weekly, the program and his legacy of 25 years of service on the bench will continue. Watkins will officially turn in his robe and gavel in January 2023 when Ashanti Lilley Pounds is sworn in as state judge.
“He has the ability to listen to all sides and the wisdom to apply the law in a meaningful way, it may take me time, but I’m prepared to continue his legacy of listening and caring about the people that come before me,” Pounds said.
Augusta Superior Court Circuit Chief Judge Danny Craig has known Watkins since his days serving as the district attorney for Richmond County and says that Watkins’ impact on the community simply cannot be measured.
“He has taken the lead in bringing a congenial attitude to the entire bench in the circuit. I’m proud to say he is my friend,” Craig said.
A former Marine, Watkins developed the reputation of being a soft spoken, yet determined jurist especially in the cases involving substance abuse. From day one, Watkins believed in ‘tough love’ and had no problem coming across as firm and rigid.
However, Watkins says his faith in both God and humanity led him to allow his compassionate side to play a role in his decision making, and he felt that merely locking up repeat offenders was not his only job; he sought for ways to offer people help with their addictions and place them on the road to sobriety and eventually redemption.
Watkins created Veterans Court, Drug Court, DUI Court for first offenders and Accountability Court for multiple offenders. These courts offer programs that help the individual find the root cause of their problems and a pathway to get clean and sober.
Ironically, the radio program would be the brainchild of a repeat DUI offender.
Alan Childs was a successful businessman until alcohol took a grip on his life. After multiple arrests for DUIs, Childs says he was almost coddled and enabled by the judicial system until he landed in Watkins’ court.
“He scared me. He really put the fear of God in me, and I straightened up. I’m not the only one that can say that David Watkins saved my life,” Childs said.
Childs respected the judge so much and wanted to prove to him that he was continuing his road to recovery that he invited Watkins to his wedding.
“I didn’t think he would show up, but he did. He really had taken a personal interest in my recovery, and it showed,” Childs said.
From there, the relationship between the two men grew and Childs realized that others could be helped by hearing the stories of people who had faced addiction head-on and overcame what, for many, ultimately could become a death sentence.
Childs felt the perfect format was radio.
“He nagged me until I said yes,” Watkins said, describing the start of The First Step Radio Show.
Radio is a tough business, and shows are routinely canceled if they fail to immediately attract an audience. Broadcasters are not required by the FCC any longer to provide “public interest” programming and many choose to air syndicated programming over the weekend as opposed to having staff in the building for a live show.
However, the First Step Radio Show garnered an audience and a big one.
Childs and Watkins were in a Waffle House having breakfast when a man sitting in a nearby booth recognized their voices and asked if they were the hosts of the show.
“I just want y’all to know that you saved my life. I heard someone telling their story on the radio and I said, ‘that’s me,’ and I knew I had to get straight before I ended up in prison,” the man said.
Paige MacKenzie Miller heard of the radio program and agreed to appear before the microphones and tell her story of successfully battling addiction to drugs and going on to college.
In the process of applying to law school, despite her high LSAT score, Miller still faced having to reconcile with her past brushes with the law due to her long-abandoned drug habit. In many cases, such personal problems of the past prevent people from applying to prestigious schools such as Mercer Law.
“Oh, my gosh, I’m trying not to tear up,” Miller said. “Judge Watkins took such a personal interest in me. He wrote letters of recommendation, and he called me constantly while I was in law school. I would not be where I am now if it wasn’t for him.”
Miller is now an associate district attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit.
The First Step Radio Show will air its finale with Watkins as host in a two-hour special on Sunday, July 31 on WGAC (AM 580/FM 95.1). The show will continue in the future with Judges Danny Craig, Ashley Wright and Jesse Stone.
Childs says it is truly the end of an era, but the show will go on after what he knows will be an emotional farewell.
“I hope I can keep it together. This man means so much to me; he means so much to our community. He’s an angel,” Childs said.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
