By By Lisa Tindell – news reporter
A teary-eyed Roger Dixon expressed remorse in court Wednesday before receiving a minimum sentence on charges of attempted murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle.
He will serve five years on attempted murder and three years on the shooting charge, but those sentences will be served concurrently.
Dixon faced a 20-year minimum sentence on an attempted murder charge and 10 years on a charge of shooting into an occupied vehicle, but he received the minimum sentence.
Rice imposed the minimum required sentences, but chose to split the sentence in order to limit the amount of time Dixon would be required to be behind bars.
Rice's decision followed testimony from David Jackson, one of the victims in the case, and several witness who testified on Dixon's behalf.
John Jernigan, the attorney who represented Dixon during the sentencing hearing, asked Jackson if he was injured by Dixon's actions.
A total of 15 witnesses took the stand to testify on Dixon's behalf. Judge Rice also had some 59 letters in support of Dixon's release submitted for his consideration in the sentencing phase of the case.
Hines was referring to the time Dixon spent at The Mission of Hope center in Mobile. Dixon was sent to the center as a condition of his probation in a previous case.
Other representatives from The Mission of Hope also took the stand and voiced the same opinion as Miller concerning Dixon's demeanor while there.
Gwynne Shell, counselor at W.S. Neal High School, took the stand to testify on Dixon's behalf.
Asssistant District Attorney Reo Kirkland, Jr., asked Shell what she would believe her position to be if she had been Dixon's victim in this case.
Clifford Dixon, a minister and father of the defendant, said he knew that Roger had changed since that May incident.
Jernigan asked the elder Dixon if he felt probation would be the proper sentence against his son.
Since Rice reserved jurisdiction over Dixon, a modification of the sentence could be possible during the course Dixon's incarceration.