Current Events > Man who spent 27 years in prison has conviction overturned thanks to Golf Digest

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https://www.golfdigest.com/story/for-valentino-dixon-a-wrong-righted-murder-charge-vacated-by-court-after-serving-27-years-in-prison

After 27 years in prison, a man who loves golf walked free today. Not only that, he was given back his innocence. Of course, the state can regift innocence about as capably as it can 27 years.

Nevertheless, the Erie County District Court in Buffalo, N.Y., has vacated the murder conviction of Valentino Dixon, 48, who was serving a 39-years-to-life sentencethe bulk of it in the infamous Attica Correctional Facilityfor the 1991 killing of Torriano Jackson. On that hot August night long ago, both were at a loud street party with underage drinking when a fistfight over a girl turned to gunfire.

But before we dive into what really happened, a quick refresher on why golfers might care extra about Valentino Dixon. Six years ago, Golf Digest profiled this inmate who grinds colored pencils to their nubs drawing meticulously detailed golf-scapes. Although Dixon has never hit a ball or even stepped foot on a course, the game hooked him when a golfing warden brought in a photograph of Augusta Nationals 12th hole for the inmate to render as a favor. In the din and darkness of his stone cell, the placid composition of grass, sky, water and trees spoke to Dixon. And the endless permutations of bunkers and contours gave him a subject he could play with.

The guys cant understand, Dixon has said. They always say I dont need to be drawing this golf stuff. I know it makes no sense, but for some reason my spirit is attuned to this game.

It took about a hundred drawings before Golf Digest noticed, but when we did, we also noticed his conviction seemed flimsy. So we investigated the case and raised the question of his innocence.

The case is complicated, but on the surface it involves shoddy police work, zero physical evidence linking Dixon, conflicting testimony of unreliable witnesses, the videotaped confession to the crime by another man, a public defender who didnt call a witness at trial, and perjury charges against those who said Dixon didnt do it. All together, a fairly clear instance of local officials hastily railroading a young black man with a prior criminal record into jail. Dixons past wasnt spotless, he had sold some cocaine, but that didnt make him a murderer.

Golf Digests 2012 article led to further national spotlights on the case by NBC/Golf Channel, CRTV.com, Fox Sports, the Georgetown University Prison Reform Project and others. Alongside this, Dixons daughter, Valentina, led a grassroots campaign to raise money for her fathers legal fees by selling his artwork online. Still, the gears of the legal system refused to turn. As of Christmas 2017, appeals exhausted, Dixons petitions for pardon or clemency drew no response from New York governor Andrew Cuomos office.

But now suddenly, a vacated convictionwhich means innocencea far more lofty legal victory. Why now?
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Once a case crosses a certain threshold of media attention, it matters, even though it shouldnt, Thompson says. Its embarrassing for the legal system that for a long time the best presentation of the investigation was from a golf magazine.

Thompson says Golf Digests work eventually was eclipsed by the recent report filed by the Erie County district attorneys wrongful convictions unit, which is a new type of department popping up in various districts these days. Their report was helped by the Georgetown University students, a group of undergraduates who have also created documentaries, websites and social-media campaigns around three other individuals thought to be wrongfully imprisoned, as part of a class. They did a great job of speaking to witnesses who could still be located, as well as getting Chris Belling [who prosecuted Dixon] to say things at variance with positions hes argued in the past.

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Talk about getting a mulligan

TheDarkCircle posted...

Talk about getting a mulligan

alright boys pack it up, nobody is going to top this one
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Beautiful drawings!
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"even though it shouldn't."

What a dick.

He's acting upset that media attention got the man free.

TheDarkCircle posted...

Talk about getting a mulligan

Prosecutor though he had a hole in one.
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Cool. I like stories about overturned convictions. Each one is a blow against the corrupt legal system

SaithSayer posted...

He's acting upset that media attention got the man free.

No he's upset that the legal system failed the poor guy.

the videotaped confession to the crime by another man

Also what in the FUCK at this, how the hell do you convict the wrong guy when you have this
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MC_BatCommander posted...

SaithSayer posted...

He's acting upset that media attention got the man free.

No he's upset that the legal system failed the poor guy.

the videotaped confession to the crime by another man

Also what in the FUCK at this, how the hell do you convict the wrong guy when you have this

Antifar posted...

young black man with a prior criminal record

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TheDarkCircle posted...

Talk about getting a mulligan

*golf clap*
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