Have you heard of that man who was imprisoned for 20 years for a crime he didn’t commit? While Valentino Dixon went out with close friends at a Buffalo junction, a brawl broke out at the spot, and someone started firing.
Dixon says that despite one of his buddies trying to shoot back, he rushed to his car and rushed out of the scene. Soon later, he stopped by police to see if he was present at the crime scene. Dixon was arrested and charged with murder and shooting at three other persons.
Valentino Dixon was sentenced to nearly 40 years in jail for something he did not commit despite the testimony of eight eyewitnesses and testimony from the person who really did it. The New York native was finally imprisoned in 1992 for the deadly shooting of an adult male in Buffalo in 1991.
Dixon’s sketches of famous golf course holes, which he’d never seen in person, prevented him from doing his entire sentence.
Dixon’s first commissioned artwork happened at the nice request of a jail warden after he had been imprisoned for over 20 years. And his depiction of Augusta’s famous 12th hole inspired Dixon, whose appeals were dismissed in all courts.
What Happened To Valentino Dixon?
Lamarr, who was at the crime scene with Dixon, was arrested after being found guilty of a murder attempt and receiving a 25–50 year prison term for a crime that occurred in November 1993. He told a News Channel that Valentino, and he drove to Mario’s house and were stopped at the crossroads.
After a disagreement between the Jackson brothers and Mario, Lamarr stated that he returned to Mario’s home, acquired the TEC-9, and fired back at Torriano when the victim reportedly opened fire on him.
After the incident, Dixon was arrested for a murder of a person. Eight others came forward with witness testimony in the two days after Dixon’s arrest, clearing him of any involvement in the killing.
Lamarr Scott, the person who committed the crime, confessed to authorities but was “taken out of the station.” As a result, Dixon received a lengthy prison sentence for a crime he did not commit.
Valentino’s family managed to collect more than 800 supporters on a petition calling for a new trial, but in September 2004, his request was rejected. In response to more eyewitnesses coming forward and naming Lamarr as the shooter, he submitted a federal appeal in 2005.
Valentino’s defense team even provided tests using polygraphs proving that Lamarr and Valentino’s half-brother, Antoine Shannon, were honest in their testimonies to the police. The petition, nevertheless, was refused in 2009.
Valentino created a number of pastel pencil drawings of golf courses while he was imprisoned. In July 2012, one of these sketches appeared in an article for Golf Digest magazine.
In 2017, he requested a gubernatorial pardon, but nothing was done. In May 2018, his lawyer filed a new post-conviction appeal requesting a new trial.
By then, Valentino had been the focus of two investigative results that supported his innocence. Ultimately, District Attorney John Flynn approved to have the case reviewed by the office’s conviction integrity section.
Valentino Dixon’s Release
After interrogating 30 eyewitnesses, the state agreed that his sentence should be overturned. According to John Flynn, Dixon was innocent and was not involved in the murder and shooting. He is innocent of the crimes he was guilty of.
On September 19, 2018, Lamarr pleaded guilty to murder in Torriano’s death. The prosecution dropped the charges against Valentino on the same day that the court overturned his sentences for killing, attempted murder, and abuse.
After being detained in 1991 and completing the majority of his time at the renowned Attica Correctional Facility, the 48-year-old was finally freed from prison at the end of 2018. This was over twenty-seven years after his arrest.
In December 2019, Valentino launched a lawsuit in the United States District Court against the City of Buffalo and police enforcement officers. In September 2020, he also submitted a compensation claim to the New York Court of Claims, which was dropped in 2021. Valentino continues to sketch as a free man.
Dixon has sold artwork to some of the world’s most well-known people, including Michelle Obama. He has three Emmy nominations and has authored and released his book, “The Soul of An Unfreed Man.” The Vatican awarded him a gold medal for his gentle spirit and difficult journey.
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