Pack the Court for Marquis Dixon – Press and Photos
Marquis Dixon Gets His Appeal: Steps to Addressing a Travesty of Justice
Advocates, Community Members, Family and Members of Legal Community Gather for Press Conference in Advance of Dixon’s Appeal Hearing
Supporters gathered outside the Justice building before the hearing.
Press Coverage:
Times Union: Appeals court chief judge hints Marquis Dixon wrongly denied youthful offender status
Time Warner: Why Marquis Dixon’s Sentence May Be Too Severe
ABC 10: Release Marquis: Crowds protest over 9-year sentence for teen who stole sneakers
CBS 6: Appeals court hearing on Albany teen’s sentence
Times Union, Chris Churchill: Judge’s words offer lifeline in Marquis Dixon appeal
Marquis called his mom, Aisha, before the hearing.
At 16 years old, Marquis Dixon was sentenced to 9 years in prison; a sentence that is extremely disproportionate to his crime. District Attorney David Soares has defended this travesty of justice at every turn, claiming that a nine year sentence is not excessive for the crime of stealing sneakers, and he asserts that NYS should remain, along with North Carolina, the only two states in the US that prosecute and punish children right alongside adults.
In response, Capital Area Against Mass Incarceration (CAAMI) drafted an Amicus Brief to the Court in support of Marquis Dixon’s appeal and reached out to community members, organizations, and elected officials for support.
Aisha speaks to press after the hearing.
Supporters stand with Aisha after the hearing.
Capital Area Against Mass Incarceration (CAAMI) seeks to challenge and dismantle mass incarceration and the systems of oppression that sustain it. We do this through coordinated actions and by opening the dialogue about mass incarceration and the criminal injustice system in a way that is empowering to all individuals and communities affected by them.