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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
39 years to Life imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
27 |
Year Crime: |
1991 |
Year Convicted: |
1992 |
Year Cleared: |
2018 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
New York |
County or Region of Crime: |
Erie |
City of Crime: |
Buffalo |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated |
Summary of Case: |
"Valentino Dixon was wrongly convicted in 1992 of murder in the shooting death of Torriano "Torry" Jackson on August 10, 1991 in Buffalo, New York during a loud street party. Jackson was shot multiple times and three other people were wounded. Dixon was at the scene of the shooting, and with a felony conviction for selling cocaine, he was targeted by the police as the prime suspect. No physical evidence linked Dixon to the crime -- no gun powder residue was found on him or in his car and no weapon was found on him or in his vehicle -- and there was conflicting testimony by witnesses. Dixon denied involvement in the shooting. After his conviction by a jury, Dixon was sentenced to 39 years to life in prison. Dixon began drawing in prison using colored pencils, and he eventually began drawing golf courses. His drawings came to the attention of Golf Digest magazine. On May 20, 2012 Golf Digest published an article about Dixon titled, "Drawings From Prison." In the course of profiling Dixon, the article's author, Max Adler, realized that Dixon's conviction seemed to be based on unreliable evidence. Golf Digest's article put national attention on irregularties in Dixon's legal case and it was publicized by NBC/Golf Channel, CRTV.com, Fox Sports, the Georgetown University Prison Reform Project and others. The publicity enabled Dixon to obtain pro bono legal representation, who investigated his case and among other evidence, obtained the video tapped confession of LaMarr Scott -- who was serving a life sentence for an unrelated 1993 shooting in an armed robbery -- that he shot Jackson. Based on the new evidence supporting his innocence, Dixon filed a motion to vacate his convictions and for a new trial. The Erie County District Attorney's Office investigated the claims in Dixon's motion, and decided not to oppose his motion. On September 19, 2018 Dixon's motion was granted, and the Erie County DA's motion to dismiss the charges was granted." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"Based on new evidence supporting his innocence, Dixon filed a motion to vacate his convictions and for a new trial. The Erie County District Attorney's Office investigated the claims in Dixon's motion, and decided not to oppose his motion. On September 19, 2018 Dixon's motion was granted, and the Erie County DA's motion to dismiss the charges was granted." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Identified? |
Yes |
Age When Imprisoned: |
21 |
Age When Released: |
48 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Wrongfully convicted: Valentino Dixon exonerated after 27 years in prison, By Claudine Ewing, WGRZ.com, September 20, 2018" |
Information Location 1: |
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/wrongfully-convicted-valentino-dixon-exonerated-after-27-years-in-prison/71-595938252 |
Information Source 2: |
"For Valentino Dixon, a wrong righted, By Max Adler, GoldDigest.com, September 19, 2018" |
Information Location 2: |
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/for-valentino-dixon-a-wrong-righted-murder-charge-vacated-by-court-after-serving-27-years-in-prison |
Information Source 3: |
"Drawings From Prison, By Valentino Dixon and Max Adler, GoldDigest.com, May 20, 2012" |
Information Location 3: |
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/golf-saved-my-life-valentino-dixon |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org