Antonie Ronnie Dixon

Antonie Ronnie Dixon is a convicted murderer in New Zealand.

The crimes

Dixon attacked two women, Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler, with a Samurai sword at Pipiroa in January 2003. Before the sword broke, Ms Gunbie's left hand was completely severed and both of Butler's arms were partially severed. After stealing a vehicle and travelling to Auckland, he fatally shot James Te Aute in Highland Park with a home-made sub-machine gun. He then engaged in a stand-off with the police while holding a hostage. Finally, 11 hours after he started, Dixon surrendered to the New Zealand Police.

Dixon was a user of the drug methamphetamine, known in New Zealand as 'P' [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=10523391.] [http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/15406/dixon-claiming-insanity-avoid-prison-crown] a fact which received heavy media coverage at the time.

The trial

During the trial, Dixon advanced a defence based primarily on insanity. Photographs of Dixon at the trial were featured in leading newspapers around the country. At the conclusion of the trial, Dixon was convicted of murder and several other serious charges. He was however acquitted on five charges of attempted murder.

Aftermath

Gunbie lost her left hand; Butler's arms were both reattached.

The appeal

Following Dixon's conviction for murder, he appealed to the Court of Appeal with three arguments. Firstly, it was argued that the High Court judge did not properly instruct the jury on the law relating to insanity. Secondly, manslaughter should have been available to the jury as an alternative verdict to murder. On 7 September 2007 the Court of Appeal overturned Dixon's convictions and ordered a new trial. This trial was held in June 2008 and carried a second guilty verdict on 30 Jul 2008. Dixons lawyer plans to form yet another appeal on grounds of insanity, the legal aid bill for Dixon has reached $210000.

Dixon in popular culture

Due to the nature of the crimes and the prominence of the trial, images of Dixon took root in the public psyche. Some aspects of the crime, such as Gumbie's severed hand giving the bird, or the use of the home-made sub-machine gun and claims of being followed by 747s, were viewed as humorous.

During the trial, Dixon's facial expressions and haircut became a source of amusement for many.

* On the television program Eating Media Lunch, cast members could be seen wearing T-Shirts with an unflattering portrait of Dixon's face printed on them.

* On an episode of Bro'town Vale Pepelo described "upside-down b" (a euphemism for P) as "that highly addictive drug that makes you cut off peoples hands!" a reference to the Dixon case.

* Deja Voodoo referenced the case in their song P with the lyrics "I smoked P and I didn't cut anybody's hands off".

* Craccum, the Auckland University Students' Association magazine, referenced Antonie Ronnie Dixon in Issue 9, 2007, saying that Dixon had made his hairstyle "...the most popular haircut in West Auckland since the mullet."

* Dixon has been immortalized in song by Lower Hutt Grindcore band Backyard Burial in a whimsical number called "You're not getting your hand back".

* In August 2008, it came to light that a MySpace page attributed to Dixon created with the help of a unknown third-party outside prison. It has since been mentioned by various national New Zealand media organizations. [http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/423466/1974830]

* The New Zealand indie band Cut Off Your Hands, originally "Shaky Hands", changed their name after an American band of the same name threatened litigation; "Cut Off Your Hands" references Dixon's crimes.

*New Zealand Hip Hop artist Cyphanetick referenced Dixon's crimes in the song "Misfits My Bitches" - "Write another diss and I'll find the hands the writ them / chop them Mother Fuckers straight off like Antonie Dixon".

External links

* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=123&ObjectID=10009978 NZ Herald article from the trial]
* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/location/story.cfm?l_id=123&ObjectID=10127775 NZ Herald article covering Dixon's sentencing]

* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10462256 NZ Herald article covering the result of Dixon's appeal]