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| New York inmate's golf drawings lead to exoneration in murder | New York inmate's golf drawings lead to exoneration in murder |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A US convict whose talent for art caught the eye of a prison warden, ultimately leading to a review of his case, has been exonerated of murder. | |
| Valentino Dixon's vivid pencil drawings of golf courses came to be featured in Golf Digest, whose reporters noticed evidence in his case seemed flawed. | |
| Mr Dixon, 48, had maintained his innocence during 27 years behind bars for a shooting in Buffalo, New York. | Mr Dixon, 48, had maintained his innocence during 27 years behind bars for a shooting in Buffalo, New York. |
| He walked free after another man formally confessed to the murder. | He walked free after another man formally confessed to the murder. |
| The golf drawings | The golf drawings |
| Mr Dixon had served nearly two decades at a notorious prison in upstate New York when his artistic flair attracted the notice of correctional authorities. | Mr Dixon had served nearly two decades at a notorious prison in upstate New York when his artistic flair attracted the notice of correctional authorities. |
| The warden gave him a photograph of the famed Augusta National's 12th hole in the US state of Georgia, and asked if he would draw it for him. | |
| "After 19 years in Attica Correctional Facility, the look of a golf hole spoke to me," said Mr Dixon. | "After 19 years in Attica Correctional Facility, the look of a golf hole spoke to me," said Mr Dixon. |
| "It seemed peaceful. I imagine playing it would be a lot like fishing." | "It seemed peaceful. I imagine playing it would be a lot like fishing." |
| Using colouring pencils, he began to create meticulous, lush drawings of various links and fairways. | Using colouring pencils, he began to create meticulous, lush drawings of various links and fairways. |
| "I didn't know anything about golf. I'm from the 'hood," he told local media. | "I didn't know anything about golf. I'm from the 'hood," he told local media. |
| His sketches impressed the editors at Golf Digest, which featured his artwork and a profile of the prisoner in 2012. | |
| "Maybe one day I'll get to play the game I've only imagined," Mr Dixon said in the article, describing how he drew landscapes he has never seen. | |
| The magazine's coverage spurred wrongful-conviction advocates to look into the matter. Georgetown University law students championed his case. | The magazine's coverage spurred wrongful-conviction advocates to look into the matter. Georgetown University law students championed his case. |
| The conviction | The conviction |
| Mr Dixon was handed a minimum 38-year-to-life sentence for killing 17-year-old Torriano Jackson one night in August 1991, after an argument over a girl. | Mr Dixon was handed a minimum 38-year-to-life sentence for killing 17-year-old Torriano Jackson one night in August 1991, after an argument over a girl. |
| He acknowledged being at the crime scene, but said he was at a nearby shop buying beer when the gunshots rang out. | He acknowledged being at the crime scene, but said he was at a nearby shop buying beer when the gunshots rang out. |
| Mr Dixon said multiple witnesses could have testified he did not fire the gun. | Mr Dixon said multiple witnesses could have testified he did not fire the gun. |
| But his trial lawyer did not call any of them as several had been accused of perjury. | But his trial lawyer did not call any of them as several had been accused of perjury. |
| Unusually, the investigating homicide detective did not testify during the trial either. | |
| But a more serious flaw in the case was uncovered by Georgetown University's Prisons and Justice Initiative. | But a more serious flaw in the case was uncovered by Georgetown University's Prisons and Justice Initiative. |
| Prosecutors had omitted to reveal to Mr Dixon's defence attorney that a gunpowder test on his client's clothes had come back negative. | Prosecutors had omitted to reveal to Mr Dixon's defence attorney that a gunpowder test on his client's clothes had come back negative. |
| The real killer | The real killer |
| Perhaps even more egregiously, another man, Lamarr Scott, admitted to local media only days after the murder that he shot Torriano Jackson. | Perhaps even more egregiously, another man, Lamarr Scott, admitted to local media only days after the murder that he shot Torriano Jackson. |
| Scott told a WGRZ-TV reporter: "I don't want my friend [Mr Dixon] to take the rap for something that I did." | Scott told a WGRZ-TV reporter: "I don't want my friend [Mr Dixon] to take the rap for something that I did." |
| But he was never arrested. The victim's brother said he saw Mr Dixon open fire. | But he was never arrested. The victim's brother said he saw Mr Dixon open fire. |
| According to the Buffalo News, prosecutors conceded that Scott had been admitting his guilt in the case for a long time. | According to the Buffalo News, prosecutors conceded that Scott had been admitting his guilt in the case for a long time. |
| "Mr Scott has been confessing to this crime since 12 August 1991," Assistant District Attorney Sara Dee told the court. | "Mr Scott has been confessing to this crime since 12 August 1991," Assistant District Attorney Sara Dee told the court. |
| "He has confessed to this crime in excess of 10 times." | "He has confessed to this crime in excess of 10 times." |
| Exoneration | Exoneration |
| Lamarr Scott - who is currently in jail for a separate attack - finally had the chance to formally confess to the crime on Wednesday. | |
| Hours later, Mr Dixon was released. | Hours later, Mr Dixon was released. |
| "I grabbed the gun," Scott, now 46, told the courtroom in Erie, New York. | |
| "I pulled the trigger and all the bullets came out. Unfortunately, Torriano ended up dying." | |
| It was Erie County District Attorney John Flynn - in the job less than a year - who ordered a review of the case. | It was Erie County District Attorney John Flynn - in the job less than a year - who ordered a review of the case. |
| But despite Mr Dixon's exoneration, prosecutors say he did provide the murder weapon, which they described as a machine gun. | |
| They also said he was an "up-and-coming drug dealer" in Buffalo at the time of his arrest. | |
| "Mr Dixon is innocent of the shooting and of the murder for what he was found guilty of, but Mr Dixon brought the gun to the fight," said the district attorney. | "Mr Dixon is innocent of the shooting and of the murder for what he was found guilty of, but Mr Dixon brought the gun to the fight," said the district attorney. |
| What next for Valentino Dixon? | What next for Valentino Dixon? |
| "It's the greatest feeling in the world," he said as he walked a free man from court in Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday. | "It's the greatest feeling in the world," he said as he walked a free man from court in Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday. |
| He was greeted outside by his daughter, who was a baby when he was jailed. | He was greeted outside by his daughter, who was a baby when he was jailed. |
| The 27-year-old brought along her own 14-month-old twins. | The 27-year-old brought along her own 14-month-old twins. |
| Mr Dixon says he hopes to keep up his illustrations, and even visit a golf course in real life someday. | |
| "With his mind and body intact, Dixon hopefully has some good years ahead," Golf Digest wrote on Wednesday. | "With his mind and body intact, Dixon hopefully has some good years ahead," Golf Digest wrote on Wednesday. |
| "Maybe he'll even take up golf." | "Maybe he'll even take up golf." |