Justice served: Marcus Dixon released

TheWakeUpBomb · May 5, 2004

Don't know how many people have followed this case...

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0504/04dixon.html

http://www.ajc.com/today/content/epaper/editions/today/news_0479e36e8689227f00a9.html

To get access, use BigSoccer as the first name, bigsoccer@bigsoccer.com as the email, and bigsoccer as the password. F'n subscription sites.

ROME — Marcus Dixon wakes up today in his own bed, with a new chance — one he thought until recently he might never have — to put his once-promising life back on track.

As the 19-year-old former high school football star and honor student walked out the back door of the Floyd County Jail on Monday, family members and friends cheered, cried and jumped for joy.

"I'm thankful to be out, I'm thankful for all the people who helped me, and I'm just glad to be home," Dixon said.

Dixon had been incarcerated since February 2003 on criminal charges that stemmed from his having sex with an underage girl.

Dixon's conviction for aggravated child molestation, and the mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison it carried, attracted national attention and was the focus of Oprah Winfrey's syndicated television program in February.
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Anyway, this case is, in a nutshell, a perfect example of why mandatory minimums don't always work. A jury found that this guy had consensual sex with a 15 year old when he was 18 and still in high school, but the jury ended up convicting him of felony child molestation which carries an automatic sentence of 10 years.

bungadiri · May 5, 2004

Thanks, I had been paying attention to that story but hadn't heard the news of his release.

obie · May 5, 2004

What's Vanderbilt going to do now, I wonder?

TheWakeUpBomb · May 5, 2004

obie said:

What's Vanderbilt going to do now, I wonder?
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You mean besides go 3-8? (Yes, I'm being optimistic.)

I doubt they will still offer him a scholarship, because he still has that statuatory rape conviction (albeit a misdemeanor). It'd be nice, though.

superdave · May 5, 2004

In North Carolina, there's a 4 year loophole, so that's not a crime here. Since he was within 4 years of her age.

csc7 · May 5, 2004

I just wanted you to know that I blame Bush for this kid being put in jail. I also blame Bush for Vandy's 3-8 season (like that'll happen) and for the BCS. Damn Shrub!!!

SoFla Metro · May 5, 2004

superdave said:

In North Carolina, there's a 4 year loophole, so that's not a crime here. Since he was within 4 years of her age.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but rather than being closer in age to her, wouldn't it have helped him more being closer in skin tone to her?

TheWakeUpBomb · May 5, 2004

You should be thanking Bush for your National Championship, then, ingrate.

csc7 · May 5, 2004

I blame him for allowing Oklahoma to somehow sneak into the game and denying LSU the outright championship after our defense dominated USC.

Oh, I also had a piece of steak that was slightly undercooked last night. I blame Bush for that too. If software engineers could still get jobs in the US, I wouldn't have the unqualified bastards cooking my steaks.

dfb547490 · May 5, 2004

Great news. The fact that he got a scholarship to Vandy (one of those quaint scohols that actually holds student-athletes to both parts of that term) shows that he is not just a good athlete, but a bright kid as well.

SoFla Metro said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but rather than being closer in age to her, wouldn't it have helped him more being closer in skin tone to her?
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Setting aside the idiocy of this statement, do you even know that the girl is white? I didn't see her race mentioned anywhere.

SoFla Metro · May 5, 2004

dfb547490 said:

Setting aside the idiocy of this statement, do you even know that the girl is white? I didn't see her race mentioned anywhere.
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She is white. He is black. This is not the first I've heard of this case.

Dante · May 5, 2004

dfb547490 said:

Setting aside the idiocy of this statement, do you even know that the girl is white? I didn't see her race mentioned anywhere.
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Please do us all a favor and READ THE FRIGGIN ARTICLE before you open your mouth. You won't come across as an idiot...... well maybe.

STRAIGHT FROM THE ARTICLE: "Dixon is black; his accuser, who was 15 at the time of the sexual encounter, is white."

Dante · May 5, 2004

SoFla Metro said:

She is white. He is black. This is not the first I've heard of this case.
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All he had to do was read the article.

SoFla Metro · May 5, 2004

Dante said:

All he had to do was read the article.
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I wouldn't want to put an undue burden on him. Plus, it's fun seeing him look stupid.

Dante · May 5, 2004

SoFla Metro said:

Plus, it's fun seeing him look stupid.
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dfb547490 · May 5, 2004

I read the second link (which doesn't mention that she's white) but not the first (which does). I'd heard of the case before but never paid any attention to either of their races. My bad.

mattie g · May 6, 2004

SoFla Metro said:

Plus, it's fun seeing him look stupid.
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Funny...I like seeing him, a college freshman, come on here with the balls to speak his mind even though he's outnumbered here by about 10:1.

csc7 · May 6, 2004

mattie g said:

Funny...I like seeing him, a college freshman, come on here with the balls to speak his mind even though he's outnumbered here by about 10:1.
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yes, because if there is one quality truly missing in 19 year old guys, its brashness...

mattie g · May 6, 2004

csc7 said:

yes, because if there is one quality truly missing in 19 year old guys, its brashness...
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Does that necessarily make him stupid? Oh wait...he's stupid because he doesn't agree with them, right?

How many other 19-year-old guys are on here speaking plainly about their political beliefs, despite getting hammered left and right...err left...by people who disagree with him? Where's their brashness?

csc7 · May 6, 2004

mattie g said:

Does that necessarily make him stupid? Oh wait...he's stupid because he doesn't agree with them, right?

How many other 19-year-old guys are on here speaking plainly about their political beliefs, despite getting hammered left and right...err left...by people who disagree with him? Where's their brashness?
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lighten up francis... where did i say he was stupid? besides, calling dante a lefty is, axis-alex-like, misinformed.

i just liked that you admire the quality that almost every college freshman male has... soon you'll be congratulating Alex on his ability to consistantly focus on trying to get laid.

SoFla Metro · May 6, 2004

mattie g said:

Does that necessarily make him stupid? Oh wait...he's stupid because he doesn't agree with them, right?
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There are plenty of people I disagree with on a regular basis on this board who I wouldn't call stupid.

Alex is not one of those people.

zverskiy yobar · May 6, 2004

he's a sexual predator, all you liberals can put whatever spin on it that you like.But the truth is that he screwed an underage girl.I am sure all of you would feel the same if a an 18 Y/O man violated your 15 Y/o daughter .Hopefully someone made him their bitch while he was in the pokey.

SoFla Metro · May 6, 2004

zverskiy yobar said:

he's a sexual predator, all you liberals can put whatever spin on it that you like.But the truth is that he screwed an underage girl.I am sure all of you would feel the same if a an 18 Y/O man violated your 15 Y/o daughter .Hopefully someone made him their bitch while he was in the pokey.
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mattie,

care to defend this one?

TheWakeUpBomb · May 6, 2004

zverskiy yobar said:

he's a sexual predator, all you liberals can put whatever spin on it that you like.But the truth is that he screwed an underage girl.I am sure all of you would feel the same if a an 18 Y/O man violated your 15 Y/o daughter .Hopefully someone made him their bitch while he was in the pokey.
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It very well could have been a senior hooking up with a sophmore, which happened all the time at my high school. Settle down.

As for him being someone's bitch, he's like 6-6 250. So I think he probably did alright for himself. But nice to see that you're an advocate of male rape.

Dante · May 6, 2004

zverskiy yobar said:

he's a sexual predator, all you liberals can put whatever spin on it that you like.But the truth is that he screwed an underage girl.I am sure all of you would feel the same if a an 18 Y/O man violated your 15 Y/o daughter .Hopefully someone made him their bitch while he was in the pokey.
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You're just pissed that he's black and she's white.