Derwin Brown
Encyclopedia
Derwin Brown was a police captain
and the sheriff
-elect of DeKalb County, Georgia
, United States
, who was assassinated on the evening of December 15, 2000.
when he was elected to the position of Sheriff on a platform of cleaning up the corruption and graft that had historically troubled the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office.
, was convicted of ordering Brown's assassination. Details that came to light in the trial suggested that Dorsey ordered the killing in order to obstruct an expected probe into corruption occurring during his own tenure as sheriff.
The law firm of Casey Gilson Leibel P.C. filed suit on behalf of the Brown family against those involved in the killing. At trial, the family's attorneys
, Steve Leibel and George Shingler, showed the jury how Dorsey and his deputies conspired to assassinate Brown. Casey Gilson's efforts resulted in a jury verdict of $776 million in favor of the Brown family. Although the family has thus far been unable to collect any of the judgement, the jury verdict was the largest in Georgia
history.
The defense attorneys declined to actually appear on behalf of the defendant
s at trial; instead, having filed an interlocutory appeal
on the issue of liability, they allowed the damages portion of the trial to go forward undefended. The Georgia Court of Appeals
ruled in Defendant's favor on the issue of whether the State was immune from suit. Plaintiff appealed the ruling up to the Georgia Supreme Court, and that Court upheld the ruling. The United States Supreme Court denied cert on a subsequent appeal filed by Derwin Brown's family.
After the verdict was rendered virtually uncollectable by the series of failed appeals, a bill was introduced into the Georgia House of Representatives
seeking to compensate Brown's family in an amount in excess of $300 million. The bill failed to obtain the necessary votes for passage.
On July 13, 2007, Dorsey confessed to investigators that he had ordered Deputy Patrick Cuffy to carry out the killing at Brown's home on December 15, 2000. However, he claimed that he had called the attempt off prior to Brown's assassination.
Brown's wife, Phyllis Brown, died on Christmas Eve 2006 of heart failure at the age of 52—3½ years after suffering a debilitating stroke
, and just nine days after leading a candlelight vigil in honor of the anniversary of her late husband's murder.
Brown was a member of Omega Psi Phi
fraternity. He was also a member of Freemasonry. There is a Masonic Lodge named in his honor.
Police captain
- France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
and the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
-elect of DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who was assassinated on the evening of December 15, 2000.
Early life
The firstborn to Burvena and George Robert Brown, Brown was raised on Long Island, New York, where he attended Woodfield Road School and Malverne Jr. High School for his elementary years of grade school and Malverne High School.Career
Brown was a 23-year veteran of the DeKalb County Police DepartmentDeKalb County Police Department
The DeKalb County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia. The department serves a population of more than 730,000 people. The Chief is William O'Brien. The DeKalb County Public Safety Director is William "Wiz" Miller, a former DKPD...
when he was elected to the position of Sheriff on a platform of cleaning up the corruption and graft that had historically troubled the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office.
Assassination
Brown was shot in front of his home fifteen times with a TEC-9 handgun and died at the scene. Defeated incumbent, former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney DorseySidney Dorsey
Sidney Dorsey 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...
, was convicted of ordering Brown's assassination. Details that came to light in the trial suggested that Dorsey ordered the killing in order to obstruct an expected probe into corruption occurring during his own tenure as sheriff.
The law firm of Casey Gilson Leibel P.C. filed suit on behalf of the Brown family against those involved in the killing. At trial, the family's attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, Steve Leibel and George Shingler, showed the jury how Dorsey and his deputies conspired to assassinate Brown. Casey Gilson's efforts resulted in a jury verdict of $776 million in favor of the Brown family. Although the family has thus far been unable to collect any of the judgement, the jury verdict was the largest in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
history.
The defense attorneys declined to actually appear on behalf of the defendant
Defendant
A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute...
s at trial; instead, having filed an interlocutory appeal
Interlocutory appeal
An interlocutory appeal , in the law of civil procedure, is an appeal of a ruling by a trial court that is made before the trial itself has concluded. Most jurisdictions generally prohibit such appeals, requiring parties to wait until the trial has concluded before they challenge any of the...
on the issue of liability, they allowed the damages portion of the trial to go forward undefended. The Georgia Court of Appeals
Georgia Court of Appeals
The Georgia Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court for the U.S. state of Georgia.-Founding of the court:The genesis of the Court of Appeals began with a report by the State Bar of Georgia in 1895, suggesting that the Georgia State Legislature create a new intermediate appellate...
ruled in Defendant's favor on the issue of whether the State was immune from suit. Plaintiff appealed the ruling up to the Georgia Supreme Court, and that Court upheld the ruling. The United States Supreme Court denied cert on a subsequent appeal filed by Derwin Brown's family.
After the verdict was rendered virtually uncollectable by the series of failed appeals, a bill was introduced into the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
seeking to compensate Brown's family in an amount in excess of $300 million. The bill failed to obtain the necessary votes for passage.
On July 13, 2007, Dorsey confessed to investigators that he had ordered Deputy Patrick Cuffy to carry out the killing at Brown's home on December 15, 2000. However, he claimed that he had called the attempt off prior to Brown's assassination.
Brown's wife, Phyllis Brown, died on Christmas Eve 2006 of heart failure at the age of 52—3½ years after suffering a debilitating stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, and just nine days after leading a candlelight vigil in honor of the anniversary of her late husband's murder.
Brown was a member of Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
fraternity. He was also a member of Freemasonry. There is a Masonic Lodge named in his honor.
External links
- http://www.derwinbrown.org