Sidney Dorsey
| Sidney Dorsey | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 23, 1940 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Law enforcement official, first African-American sherriff of DeKalb County, Georgia, 1996-2000 |
| Criminal charge |
Conspiracy to commit murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, a DeKalb County police officer and challenger in 2000 election racketeering and violation of oath of office of elected official theft by taking of oath of office of elected official several charges of theft by taking of oath of office of elected official |
| Criminal penalty |
Life without parole for the conspiracy to commit murder conviction 23 years added for the racketeering and violation of oath of office concurrent 10-15 sentences for the theft by taking of oath of office charges |
| Spouse(s) | Sherry Dorsey |
| Conviction(s) | July 2002 |
Sidney Dorsey (born February 23, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia) served as sheriff of DeKalb County, Georgia from 1996 to 2000. Dorsey was the first African-American to serve as sheriff of DeKalb County, and was married to Atlanta city councilwoman Sherry Dorsey (1954–2006). When he was defeated in a 2000 runoff by challenger Derwin Brown, he arranged the murder of Brown.
Derwin Brown murder case
On July 10, 2002, Dorsey was convicted of ordering Brown's assassination in order to obstruct Brown's expected probe into corruption occurring in the DeKalb County sheriff's office during Dorsey's term. Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker sentenced Dorsey to life on the murder conviction, an additional 23 years on racketeering and violation of oath of office convictions, and concurrent sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years on his several convictions of theft by taking of the oath of office of an elected official.[1] Dorsey is currently held in Georgia State Prison.
In 2007, it was reported that Dorsey allegedly confessed to his part in the ordering of the hit on Brown out of bitterness of having been defeated by him in the local County Sheriff's election.[2] However, he claimed that he had attempted to abort the assassination plot prior to Brown's murder, but was unsuccessful.[3]
Atlanta Child Murders Task Force
During his tenure as sheriff, Dorsey also served on the task force that looked into reopening the case of convicted child murderer Wayne Williams. Dorsey appeared as one of many, including some of the victims' relatives, who voiced public doubt of Williams's guilt of the murders. Dorsey is quoted as stating: "Most people who are aware of the child murders believe as I do that Wayne Williams did not commit these crimes". Williams was identified as the key suspect in the Atlanta Child Murders that occurred between 1979 and 1981. In January 1982, he was found guilty of the murder of two adult men. Dorsey, as an Atlanta homicide detective, supervised the first search of Williams' home in 1981.[4]
References
- ↑
- ↑ Rowson, Kevin. "Dorsey Confesses to Ordering Murder". www.11alive.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ↑ Former DeKalb County Sheriff Dorsey confesses to Derwin Brown slaying, 8/16/2007
- ↑ Killers Guilt still is disputed: 17 years later debate continues, Seattle Times, 6/21/1999