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Pastor's War On Drugs Takes Personal Twist
September 18, 2014 | Stefano DiPietrantonio
The son of a prominent Charleston West Side preacher, who's also been a leader in the war on drugs, was jailed on drug charges.
30-year-old Matthew Watts, II, is accused of selling heroin to a confidential informant.
"You have a right to a lawyer, do you want to use your own or do you want us to appoint you one?,” Magistrate Joe Shelton asked Watts. “I'll call my own," Watts replied.
When we spoke with Reverend Watts on the phone, he told us Matthew was allowed one call from the police car on his way to jail. Watts said the call was short and that he stands by his son's innocence until it's proven otherwise. If convicted, his son faces 1 to 50 years in the penitentiary.
"Also, could be fined up to 25-thousand dollars," said Magistrate Shelton.
"In this community, there are people that care about what happens to these young people," said Rev. Watts in an interview in April. Watts is outspoken and passionate about the fight to keep young people off drugs, out of trouble, and thinking about a brighter future.
"Put your guns down! Put your hands up and pray!," yelled a huge crowd at Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston. Reverend Watts was one of the leaders behind the, “Guns down, hands up to pray”, movement, which was a West Side mantra in the late Spring, after the neighborhood weathered a number of drug-related shootings.
People had had enough. There was a call for unity and prayers for those in trouble with the law.
continued here http://www.wchstv.com/news/features...Takes-Personal-Twist-41371.shtml#.VBsdlfldWwA
September 18, 2014 | Stefano DiPietrantonio
The son of a prominent Charleston West Side preacher, who's also been a leader in the war on drugs, was jailed on drug charges.
30-year-old Matthew Watts, II, is accused of selling heroin to a confidential informant.
"You have a right to a lawyer, do you want to use your own or do you want us to appoint you one?,” Magistrate Joe Shelton asked Watts. “I'll call my own," Watts replied.
When we spoke with Reverend Watts on the phone, he told us Matthew was allowed one call from the police car on his way to jail. Watts said the call was short and that he stands by his son's innocence until it's proven otherwise. If convicted, his son faces 1 to 50 years in the penitentiary.
"Also, could be fined up to 25-thousand dollars," said Magistrate Shelton.
"In this community, there are people that care about what happens to these young people," said Rev. Watts in an interview in April. Watts is outspoken and passionate about the fight to keep young people off drugs, out of trouble, and thinking about a brighter future.
"Put your guns down! Put your hands up and pray!," yelled a huge crowd at Haddad Riverfront Park in Charleston. Reverend Watts was one of the leaders behind the, “Guns down, hands up to pray”, movement, which was a West Side mantra in the late Spring, after the neighborhood weathered a number of drug-related shootings.
People had had enough. There was a call for unity and prayers for those in trouble with the law.
continued here http://www.wchstv.com/news/features...Takes-Personal-Twist-41371.shtml#.VBsdlfldWwA
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
