Court Upholds Conspiracy Verdict in Dyson Slaying

The 4th District Court of Appeal on Thursday upheld the conspiracy conviction of George Ira Lamb, one of two men accused in the 1984 stabbing death of Dixie Dyson’s husband, and rejected the defendant’s argument that jurors were confused about the charge.

Jurors acquitted Lamb of murder in 1990, but many said they were shocked to learn later that the conspiracy conviction carried the same 25-year-to-life sentence as first-degree murder.

Dixie Dyson, 47, was convicted three years ago of first-degree murder for her role in Mel Dyson’s stabbing death. Her sentence was reduced from 25 years to life to 15 years to life after she agreed to testify against her boyfriend, Enrico Vasquez, 33, and Lamb, 28, both of New York City.

Vasquez was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 25 years to life.

Before Lamb’s sentencing, many jurors made statements to the court that they would never have voted to convict him of conspiracy if they had known the severity of the penalty.

In his appeal, Lamb’s lawyers argued that the murder acquittal at least helped show that jurors were “confused” about the conspiracy definition. Also, they argued that the jurors sent out questions asking Judge Donald A. McCartin for more help on defining conspiracy and that the judge did not adequately respond.

But the appellate court found that new instructions McCartin gave them on the conspiracy charge were adequate. The appellate court also discounted the defense argument that it was unfair for conspiracy to carry the same penalty as murder.

“The nature of the offense in this case cannot be minimized,” stated Justice Sheila Prell Sonenshine in the unanimous opinion. “Lamb agreed to kill a complete stranger for money . . . the offense involved a great deal of callousness, planning and premeditation.”

Dyson testified that Lamb was the actual killer and was to be paid an undetermined share of more than $100,000 Dyson expected to collect on her husband’s life insurance.