Marcus Dixon : Free to live his dream....

Marcus Dixon and his incredible story have been burning up Internet connections and airwaves since last year. In 2003, as an 18-year old high school senior and a top football recruit, Marcus Dixon had sex with a girl three months shy of her 16th birthday. The girl claimed she was raped. The jury determined the sex was consensual.

Sixteen is the age of consent in Georgia. But Georgia is a place where interracial as always been an issue, and in this case, it came as a backdraft for Marcus. Rape charges were filed against Him.

On a six-count indictment, Dixon was exonerated of all charges involving force. He was convicted of statutory rape, a misdemeanour, and an outlandish charge of "aggravated child molestation." The latter charge applies to any sexual act performed with a minor two years one's junior that causes injury. By mutual admission, the girl was a virgin and was "injured" in the act.

Mandatory sentence: 15 years.

"It was consensual sex," said Dixon. "When we came in there, it was set up like we was going to have sex. She unbuckled her own pants.

"At the end, the only thing she told me was like, 'My dad cannot find out about us having sex.' Because in my town, black people having sex with white girls is not something you do. She said, 'My dad cannot find out about us having sex, because he'll kill us both.'"

It took 15 month to the state of Georgia to overturn and reverse the sentence on Marcus Dixon case, 15 month lost in prison away from his family, friends and his dream of playing football in college.

On May 3, 2004, the Georgia Supreme Court, ruling 4-3, said Dixon should have been prosecuted solely on the statutory rape charge, which carries a maximum one-year sentence, rather than the child molestation charge. He was released immediately, amid cheers and applause from family and friends, after serving 15 months in prison.

Last week-end Marcus Dixon was watching the NFL Draft home with his parents waiting to hear his name called by the commissioner and ready to start his professional career as an football player. He never heard his name, maybe some teams were worry about his past and were not prepare to give him a second chance like Dr. William R. Harvey, the president at Hampton University in Virginia who offered Marcus the chance to play college football and a chance at redemption.

And Marcus Dixon did exactly what his parent knew it would do : "Lead by example" As freshman he became a starter at defensive end. He was a three-time team captain and a two-year member of an athletic leadership committee, and finished the 2007 season with six sacks and a team-high 16 tackles for losses. According to school officials, Dixon has a 3.33 grade-point average, was a regular on the dean's list and is four classes short of graduation. They also say his four years at Hampton passed without a single off-field incident. And he is one of three national finalists for Diverse Magazine's Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Award, which will be awarded next month.

Marcus Dixon wasn't drafted....

But few minutes after the Draft, the Dallas Cowboys made an offer of a 3 years contract worth $1.1 millions, showing that the past is the past but that as a team and as an organisation they believe in his bright future....

God Bless you Marcus and you family.

Just enjoy and live your dream....