Residents in DeKalb County, Ga. are now reliving one of the darkest moments in the state’s political history. Over 20 years ago, disgraced ex-Sheriff Sidney Dorsey became wrapped in the largest scandal at the turn of the century. Now, he has died at age 86.
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Georgia in the mid-90s was certainly a time to be alive. Between the rise of the “Dirty South” hip-hop, Freaknik parties and even the 1996 Olympics coming to Atlanta, the city and surrounding areas saw a massive boom. So when Dorsey decided to run for public office, Black folks were largely behind him.
In 1996, he became the first Black man ever elected to serve as the sheriff of DeKalb County. Locals already knew Dorsey from his role on the task force to reopen the case of Wayne Williams, the man convicted of the “Atlanta Child Murders.”
But his new role as sheriff only lasted one term after voters chose Derwin Brown, a former DeKalb police chief, to take over. Leading up to the August 2000 election, Brown promised to reform the sheriff’s department and combat corruption in the department– which Dorsey had been accused of. Voters growing tired of rising crime and racist police believed Brown would usher in a new wave of politics built on supporting DeKalb residents…. And then the unthinkable happened.
Just days before Brown’s swearing in ceremony, he was shot and killed right outside of his Georgia home, CNN reported at the time. “As Brown exited his car and was walking along the driveway of his DeKalb County home, he was shot 12 times and killed,” the state Supreme Court decision ruled.
Investigators quickly concluded the Dec. 15, 2000 killing was in fact a calculated assassination… and surprise, surprise, Brown’s predecessor became the prime suspect.
Prosecutors argued Dorsey conspired to kill Brown in order to maintain influence and prevent him from taking office, according to court documents. Dorsey even told the then-sheriff’s office chief and a woman he was having an affair with that Brown “would never assume office as sheriff, that a special election would be held in January, and that Dorsey would be re-elected sheriff,” according to a 2005 court decision.
In 2002, Dorsey was convicted and sentenced to life for Brown’s murder.
Even before Brown’s murder, tensions inside DeKalb County’s law enforcement and political circles were at an all-time high. As expected, Dorsey’s conviction did little to restore public faith in the county’s leadership. Dorsey later admitted in 2007 that he did orchestrate Brown’s killing.
His widow, Phyllis Brown, almost ran in her husband’s place, but she later told CBS News, her family feared for her safety. “The first thing they said was they were not willing to lose two parents,” Brown said in 2002. “That’s always in the back of your mind after something line this happens. But I understand also the vision that my husband had, and one way or another I’m going to make sure that is carried out.” Together, the Browns shared five children.
Meanwhile, Dorsey has been locked up ever for the last 22 years. That is until his ultimate death at age 86 on Monday (March 2). According to WSB-TV, Dorsey died of natural causes inside Augusta State Medical Prison.
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