Valentina stopped giggling when three policemen pushed her face down and handcuffed her. Police not only found the barrel of the Glock in Lester's jacket but Moody's diamonds, too. Other gems were found in the couple's luggage. Valentina's interrogation lasted 10 hours. "I had nothing to hide," she protests. "We were both innocent: George Moody was murdered between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. As my credit card receipts later showed, Dorian and I were at Sal's Pizzeria at 5 pm that day and were seen by two witnesses between 5:30 and 5:45 pm. But the police weren't interested. Instead, they took my mug-shot, fingerprints and palm prints, shackled me around my ankles, handcuffed me and took me to jail. "There were 400 inmates, including about 40 women, most of whom were on drug and prostitution charges. Conditions were appalling. I lost my innocence in that jail. The guards did regular strip-searches and prisoners could buy drugs but you could not get Vitamin C.

"Dorian was in solitary confinement in the same jail. His decree absolute was imminent and, as I was walking out one day, he yelled at me: 'Valia, will you marry me?' And I called back 'Yes!'" Dorian Lester was tried in April last year. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted of capital murder and armed robbery. The jury waived the death penalty and he was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment without parole. Valentina was tried in June and acquitted of first-degree murder and armed robbery but not theft of the jewels. She was released on a bond of £75,000 and returned to Chelsea. She campaigned tirelessly to prove Lester's innocence, writing to the White House and placing ads in US newspapers. Then, last week, she returned to Charlottesville to face the final verdict in the case. The judge found her not guilty. "I'm not a liar or a coward and I went back to clear my name," she says. "Now I'll continue fighting for Dorian. The evidence against him is circumstantial.

CONTINUE