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Jury Ponders Fate of Long-time Sheriff

Aired July 09, 2002 - 14:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In Georgia jurors are deliberating the fate of a long-time sheriff accused of ordering the murder of his successor. The defendant had been painted as a man obsessed with power, money and control. CNN's David Mattingly now takes a closer look at the trial and the key players.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a shocking crime. December 15th, 2000: Derwin Brown, the just-elected sheriff from Atlanta's Dekalb County shot 12 times in his driveway, murdered just three days before he would have taken office.

Now on trial is the man Brown defeated, the former incumbent sheriff, Sidney Dorsey, accused of masterminding the hit.

J.T. MORGAN, PROSECUTOR: This case is about power and one man's total consumption with power and what he will do to keep power at all costs.

MATTINGLY: Prosecutors claim Dorsey killed his rival to keep control of a corrupt and profitable position. In 10 days of testimony, 57 witnesses for the prosecution gave details of how Dorsey used the power of his office for bribery, theft and murder.

PATRICK CUFFY, PROSECUTION WITNESS: Dorsey wanted us to kill Derwin Brown.

MATTINGLY: One key witness, one of Dorsey's former deputies, testified under immunity that Dorsey ordered him to arrange Brown's assassination.

BRIAN STEEL, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No evidence that Sydney Dorsey is involved, and they're telling a murderer, "We know you're involved but you will walk out if here if you say the name Sidney Dorsey."

MATTINGLY: In a previous trial, the deputy's testimony failed to convict two alleged co-conspirators in the case. The prosecution hopes to bolster its case, this time, with state racketeering charges, evidence that Dorsey demanded sex and accepted bribes from a female bonding agent, ordered deputies to work for his private security firm at taxpayer expense, and used his personnel to conduct family errands and shuttle his children to school. (on camera): And now, a year and a half since he won an election promising to clean up corruption, a jury will decide if Derwin Brown was indeed murdered by his rival.

The former sheriff Dorsey maintaining his innocence. In closing argument his defense attorney comparing the prosecutor's case to a witch trial. David Mattingly, CNN, Atlanta.

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