Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown Told 38 People He Would Fire Them When He Took Office
William J. Meyerbeck
0e814700cd.html
Sheriff-elect promising reform gunned down
'Assassination' shocks DeKalb, prompts protection for others
Brenden Sager - Staff
Sunday, December 17, 2000
DeKalb County Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown died early Saturday after being
gunned down outside his home in what police called an assassination.
Brown, 46, was scheduled to be sworn in Monday after winning a contentious
election in which he promised to clean up the department and end corruption.
He recently informed 38 employees in the Sheriff's Department --- from
detention officers to top-level administrators --- that they would be fired
when he took office.
Brown's wife and five children were placed under around-the-clock police
protection, as were several DeKalb officials, said DeKalb County District
Attorney J. Tom Morgan, who declined to identify the officials.
Brown was shot several times after arriving home following a party
celebrating his graduation from a sheriff's orientation course, authorities
said. His wife and children --- ages 17 to 25 --- had driven home separately
and were inside when they heard gunshots. They found Brown lying in the
driveway.
"Sheriff-elect Brown was assassinated," said DeKalb Public Safety Director
Thomas Brown (no relation to the victim), adding that robbery did not appear
to be a motive. "He was gunned down with multiple large-caliber weapons."
Brown was shot about 11:40 p.m. Friday, and he was declared dead at 12:14
a.m. Saturday at DeKalb Medical Center.
DeKalb police on Saturday combed through the front yard of the Brown
family's brick ranch home on a dead-end street in south DeKalb near I-285.
No arrests have been made, and police would not say if there are any
suspects.
Brown spent 22 years in the DeKalb County Police Department and rose to the
rank of captain. His slaying sent shockwaves through the county. Flags were
flown at half-staff Saturday, and police wore black bands around their
badges. County agencies put up $35,000 in rewards for the capture of Brown's
killer.
Federal authorities are assisting in the investigation. "The FBI responded
to the scene at the request of the DeKalb police and is assisting . . . in
this matter," said FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko.
Outgoing DeKalb Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, whom Brown defeated in the Democratic
primary runoff in August, said in a faxed statement: "Our deepest sympathy
is given to the family of Sheriff-elect Brown, all members of law
enforcement and the community for the tragic death of my law enforcement
brother. . . . Our community must stay strong and work through this tragedy,
with heavy hearts."
Brown spent Friday evening at a private reception at MVP's Cafe near his
home. He celebrated completion of state sheriff's training and his wife's
birthday during a private reception with family and friends.
When he returned home, he pulled into his driveway and exited his car with a
bouquet of roses for his wife. Authorities said a gunman shot Brown with a
high-caliber pistol. Director Brown said it appeared that more than one
person was involved in the ambush. Morgan also called the slaying an
"assassination."
Morgan, who was at the crime scene, said there were gunshot wounds all over
Brown's body.
A replacement for Brown will have to be appointed --- either by the governor
or a county probate judge --- until a special election can be held.
Phillip Caffey, special promotions director for MVP's, said 13 people
attended the gathering, including the sheriff's family and friends. Caffey
described the mood as "excellent" and said Brown was showing everyone a pin
he received for completing his training.
"He was so proud of it," Caffey said, adding that Brown spent the night
talking about the changes he planned to make in the department.
"We made him a special dish," Caffey said, describing it as rotisserie
chicken with alfredo sauce. "He told me he was going to finish his last
drink and go home."
Brown's campaign platform called for a GBI investigation of the jail
administration, reorganization of the sheriff's reservist program,
installation of merit hiring procedures and a private accounting audit.
Unlike most counties in Georgia, the sheriff's office in DeKalb is not the
county's main police force. DeKalb relies on a countywide police department
for law enforcement, while the sheriff's office is in charge of the jail,
issuing summonses and court security.
Shortly after the July 18 primary, Morgan and the GBI launched an
investigation into allegations that Dorsey used on-duty sheriff's deputies
to staff his private security firm, SID Inc.
Morgan also is looking into the use of DeKalb County Jail inmates to fix up
private homes in the DeKalb district of Atlanta represented by the sheriff's
wife, Sherry Dorsey, a member of the Atlanta City Council.
In 1979, his first year on the DeKalb force, Brown was involved in a suit by
the Association of Law Enforcement Officers of DeKalb against the police
department.
He said the suit led to a federal court order in 1980, directing the DeKalb
Police Department to staff 27 percent of its supervisory and personnel ranks
with blacks by 1986.
In 1998, Brown spearheaded a movement to unionize the DeKalb police. More
than 460 of the department's officers agreed to join the Laborers
International Union of North America.
Brown had criticized county government for low police pay and inequitable
funding of parkland.
Brown also had a talk-format television show called "The Naked Truth 2000"
on cable access. He used to write a column in the Champion newspaper, where
his wife, Phyllis, is an assistant editor.
Brown had attended First African Presbyterian Church in Lithonia for four
years.
"He was a very righteous kind of person," said the Rev. Mark Lomax. "He had
deep convictions and serious commitments.
"He liked to think about the deep questions of life. He had a vision of how
he could make a positive contribution to the community. He tried to live
that out."
Lomax said the congregation is overwhelmed by the killing.
"There is a sense of loss and sadness and wondering why," he said.
DeKalb residents were stunned by the news Saturday.
"It's a shame to see somebody who is trying to do good killed for no
reason," said Nkrumah Hamilton of Decatur, who was shopping at West End
Mall.
Lithonia resident Alfreida Capers, 50, expressed grief at the loss of a
sheriff who had so much promise.
"This man was very serious about cleaning up the community," said Capers,
who works with drug addicts in south DeKalb. "I am so hurt. You see this
stuff on TV. You would never think it could come right here in your own
community."
Other Georgia sheriffs have been slain in the line of duty, said Terry
Norris, executive vice president of the Georgia Sheriff's Association ---
"but this is the first time I can recall that there seemed to have been
planning and malicious intent," he added.
Brown was raised in New York and studied criminal justice and sociology at
C.W. Post College on Long Island.
Brown graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. He was selected after
a competition among his colleagues.
Brown had been a DeKalb police captain for more than two years. Before that,
he was commander of the narcotics unit.
He also had been active in several youth groups.
William Ciccaglione, former general manager of South DeKalb Mall, knew Brown
from working with him to organize police patrols for special events.
"I'm sure this community has got to be in shock," said Ciccaglione, who
stopped by South DeKalb Mall to console workers who knew Brown and were
upset by his death.
Brown, who had two grandchildren, was always trying to help kids,
Ciccaglione said.
"Every time I saw him, he had a smile on his face," Ciccaglione said. "My
heart really goes out to Derwin Brown's family, and I'll have him in my
prayers, forever."
--- Staff writers William Anderson, Ben Smith, Andrea Jones and Joe Earle
contributed to this article, as did The Associated Press.
William J. Meyerbeck
MadCow57
Are you sure he didn't have a toy gun?
Greg
"William J. Meyerbeck" <meye...@softhome.nocrap.net> wrote in message
news:t3ppnri...@corp.supernews.com...
Old Curmudgeon
Meyerbeck gaily trilled
>DeKalb residents were stunned by the news Saturday.
>
>"It's a shame to see somebody who is trying to do good killed
>for no reason," said Nkrumah Hamilton
Seems reasonable to assume he wasn't killed for 'no reason'.
--
Roy Archer
http://www.fonts.org.uk free fonts
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/archer the graphics gallimaufry
-
kcaj...@my-deja.com
beans.' They usually do. Scum like this can't trust each other to be
quite and money is more important than friendship.
>In article <t3ppnri...@corp.supernews.com>,
> "William J. Meyerbeck" <meye...@softhome.nocrap.net> wrote:
>
http://accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/sunday/news_a3c357
77f6
> 0e814700cd.html
>
> Sheriff-elect promising reform gunned down
> 'Assassination' shocks DeKalb, prompts protection for others
> Brenden Sager - Staff
> Sunday, December 17, 2000
>
> DeKalb County Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown died early Saturday after
being
Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
Atlbzzz
tell you how much i grieve for you. god speed.
jim harmon
Louis Epstein
: With this much money at stake, somebody will eventually 'spill the
: beans.' They usually do. Scum like this can't trust each other to be
: quite and money is more important than friendship.
(And yet with well over a million bucks on offer to find
a "real killer" of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman...)
: >In article <t3ppnri...@corp.supernews.com>,
: