Dixon's conviction on the fourth charge, criminal possession of the murder weapon, was not overturned, and the DA is stating the reason for that. Dixon was, in fact, guilty of something.
Not only that, but Dixon's status as a drug dealer is a materially relevant fact of the relationship between himself and Scott, who in fact committed the murder. (See quote below).
This DA has been in the job for less than a year and he is the person who ordered the review. He has pointed out that there was no physical evidence of any kind used in the trial to convict Dixon, among other statements he has made in support of overturning the murder conviction.
"There was a fight. Shots were fired. I grabbed the gun from under the bench, switched it to automatic, all the bullets shot out. Unfortunately, Torriano ended up dying," Lamarr Scott, who has been in prison for 25 years for an unrelated attempted murder, told the court. "I dropped the gun and ran and it was over and done with."
Scott said he had gotten the gun, a Tec-9 semi-automatic, from Dixon and the two men had driven together to the crowded corner where the fighting broke out. Scott was given a sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison, concurrent with his current term.
Judge Susan Eagan let stand a count of criminal possession of a weapon against Dixon, and its 5- to 15-year sentence, which she said he had satisfied.
"You are eligible for release today," the judge said, igniting applause and shouts from courtroom supporters.
"Mr. Dixon is not an innocent man. Don't be misguided in that at all," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told reporters after the hearing. He described Dixon as "an up-and-coming drug dealer in the city of Buffalo" at the time of the shooting and said Scott was Dixon's bodyguard.
"Mr. Dixon is innocent of the shooting and of the murder for what he was found guilty of," he said, "but Mr. Dixon brought the gun to the fight. It was Mr. Dixon's gun."
Dixon's conviction on the fourth charge, criminal possession of the murder weapon, was not overturned, and the DA is stating the reason for that. Dixon was, in fact, guilty of something.
Not only that, but Dixon's status as a drug dealer is a materially relevant fact of the relationship between himself and Scott, who in fact committed the murder. (See quote below).
This DA has been in the job for less than a year and he is the person who ordered the review. He has pointed out that there was no physical evidence of any kind used in the trial to convict Dixon, among other statements he has made in support of overturning the murder conviction.
From https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-inmate-valentino-dixon...
"There was a fight. Shots were fired. I grabbed the gun from under the bench, switched it to automatic, all the bullets shot out. Unfortunately, Torriano ended up dying," Lamarr Scott, who has been in prison for 25 years for an unrelated attempted murder, told the court. "I dropped the gun and ran and it was over and done with."
Scott said he had gotten the gun, a Tec-9 semi-automatic, from Dixon and the two men had driven together to the crowded corner where the fighting broke out. Scott was given a sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison, concurrent with his current term.
Judge Susan Eagan let stand a count of criminal possession of a weapon against Dixon, and its 5- to 15-year sentence, which she said he had satisfied.
"You are eligible for release today," the judge said, igniting applause and shouts from courtroom supporters.
"Mr. Dixon is not an innocent man. Don't be misguided in that at all," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn told reporters after the hearing. He described Dixon as "an up-and-coming drug dealer in the city of Buffalo" at the time of the shooting and said Scott was Dixon's bodyguard.
"Mr. Dixon is innocent of the shooting and of the murder for what he was found guilty of," he said, "but Mr. Dixon brought the gun to the fight. It was Mr. Dixon's gun."