Sidney Dorsey, ousted DeKalb sheriff who ordered rival’s assassination, dies in prison
sidney dorsey, the former DeKalb County sheriff convicted of orchestrating the 2000 assassination of sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, has died at age 86. A Georgia Department of Corrections official confirmed that he died Monday night of natural causes at Augusta State Medical Prison, where he was serving a life sentence.
Sidney Dorsey confirmed dead at Augusta State Medical Prison
Dorsey was 86 when prison officials confirmed his death Monday night at Augusta State Medical Prison. He had been serving a life sentence for the murder of Derwin Brown, a case that sent shock waves through metro Atlanta when Brown was shot and killed on Dec. 15, 2000, just three days before he was to be sworn in as DeKalb County sheriff.
The assassination of Derwin Brown and the 2002 conviction
Derwin Brown, a 23-year veteran of the DeKalb County Police Department, was gunned down outside his Decatur home on Dec. 15, 2000, after winning a runoff election for sheriff. Brown was shot 12 times with a TEC-9 handgun, authorities said in records tied to the case. Dorsey, who had served as DeKalb County’s first African American sheriff from 1996 until 2000, was unseated by Brown in that election.
sidney dorsey was convicted on July 10, 2002, of ordering Brown’s assassination. He was sentenced to life in prison for murder plus 23 additional years for racketeering and violating his oath of office. In July 2007, Dorsey told investigators he had ordered Deputy Patrick Cuffy to carry out the killing, though he said he tried to call off the plot before the shooting.
Two co-defendants, Melvin Walker and David Ramsey, were later convicted in federal court in 2005 of conspiracy to commit interstate murder for hire and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Community remembrance and the annual vigil
The killing of Brown prompted actions to honor his legacy: DeKalb County named a police precinct after Brown and renamed Glasgow Drive to "Derwin Brown Drive. " Family members and supporters have continued to mark the anniversary of his death. Last December, the family gathered at Dawn Memorial Park in DeKalb County for their annual vigil marking 25 years since the assassination; Brandy Brown, Brown’s only daughter, said, "It still feels like yesterday when we think about it. "
Dorsey’s death brings to a close the criminal penalties imposed after juries and federal prosecutors pursued convictions tied to the December 2000 killing. He remained behind bars at Augusta State Medical Prison under a life sentence at the time of his death.
Supporters and family members continue to observe the annual Dawn Memorial Park vigil for Derwin Brown; last December’s gathering commemorated the 25th anniversary of his death and remains a recurring public observance tied to his legacy.
