Accused murderer Jim Watson

became a free man Wednesday as he was released from the Fulton County

Jail on a $100,000 bond.

Watson, 38, is accused of murdering

his wife, Beverley, in January of 1997 after she was reported missing

from their Fayetteville home. Her remains were found in a wooded area

in south Fulton County over two years after her disappearance.

Watson was indicted Tuesday,

Jan. 15, by a Fulton County grand jury for the murder of his wife, although

the indictment indicates that it is not known how Beverley Watson died.

Because Watson's attorney has

filed a request for a speedy trial, it is possible the trial will be in

June.

Just because Watson is out

of jail doesn't mean he is totally free. To remain on bond, he must meet

a strict list of conditions set by Fulton County Superior Court Judge

T. Jackson Bedford Jr. To comply with an order to stay away from any witnesses

in the case, Watson will be provided with a copy of the state's witness

list so he will know exactly whom to stay away from. Bedford also warned

Watson not to hire anyone to approach a potential witness, with the exception

of his attorneys.

Watson, a former police officer,

also had to surrender all his firearms and any police badge or identification

in his possession. During his testimony, Watson admitted to owning a badge

from the Manchester Police Department where he served as a police officer

until he "quit" in 2000. He has also served as a part-time police

officer for the Riverdale Police Department.

Watson must also notify the

Fayette and Fulton County sheriff's departments of the license plate and

description of any vehicle he plans to drive while he is on bond, Judge

Bedford ordered. And he cannot drive or ride in a vehicle with illegally

tinted windows, the judge said.

Watson must also abide by a

6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. curfew while he is on bond, the judge ordered.

In opposing bond for Watson,

Fulton County assistant District Attorney Sheila Ross argued that Watson

admitted stalking Maj. Bruce Jordan of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department

into Beverley Watson's disappearance, which turned into a murder investigation

after her remains were found.

"That is classic intimidation,

your honor," she said. "... If he will stalk police officers

... now that he's indicted it's reasonable to infer he will stalk witnesses."

Jordan testified that he feared

for the safety of witnesses in the case should Watson be granted bail.

He said Watson followed him 20 or 30 times during the course of the investigation.

Jordan also said Watson drove

see where the investigator lived.

"I felt as though he was

trying to intimidate me and my family," Jordan said.

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