Posted on 08/15/2002 12:24:42 PM PDT by mhking
Dorsey: Life Plus 23 Years in Prison
Web Editor: Tracey Christensen
Last Modified: 8/15/2002 3:20:19 PM
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker sentenced former Sheriff Sidney Dorsey to life in prison plus 23 years for his conviction on murder and several corruption charges.
Judge Becker granted Dorsey's attorney's request to allow him to stay in a Metro Atlanta jail, instead of immediately sending him to a state prison.
The jail will not be disclosed publicly, Becker said.
Count 1 (Murder): Life With Parole
Dorsey organized the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown.
Count 2 (RICO): 15 Years to run concurrent with life sentence.
Violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations. Through a pattern of racketeering activity, Sidney Dorsey acquired and maintained interest in and control of personal property, including money.
Count 3 (RICO): 20 years to run consecutive with life sentence.
Dorsey was associated with an enterprise (DeKalb County Sheriff's Department) through a pattern of racketeering.
Count 6 (Violation of Oath of Office): 3 Years to Run Consecutive
Dorsey ordered the DeKalb Department Fugitive Squad to give Speedy Bonding preferential treatment.
Count 7 (Theft by Taking): 15 years to run concurrent.
DeKalb Sheriff's employees Joe Murray and Patrick Cuffy worked security at Citizens Bank while on duty at the DeKalb Sheriff's Dept.
Count 8 (Theft by Taking): 10 years to run concurrent.
DeKalb employees Noah Heimlich, Gil Hill, Joe Murray, Tony Cipio, Wayne Fitch, Mark Howard, Roy Baker all drove Dorsey's family on personal trips.
Count 9 (Theft by Taking): 10 Years to run Concurrent
Heimlich, DeKalb Sgt. Fitch drove to Chattanooga to repair Dorsey's daughter's car at school.
Count 10 (Theft by Taking): 10 years to run concurrent.
Heimlich repaired Dorsey and his family's vehicles at the DeKalb Sheriff's Department's expense.
Count 11 (Theft by Taking): 10 years to run concurrent.
Heimlich drove to Chattanooga to open Dorsey's daughter's car because they keys were locked inside of the vehicle.
Count 12 (Theft by Taking): 10 years to run concurrent.
DeKalb Sgt. Fitch drove Dorsey and his family to Orlando for vacation.
Count 13 (Theft by Taking): 10 years to run concurrent.
Heimlich drove to South Georgia to buy Dorsey's son a go-cart.
Count 14 (Theft by Taking): 10 years to run concurrent.
Attorney Ron Ramsey provided legal services for Sidney Dorsey Jr. and Saresa Beasely, with whom Sidney Dorsey had an affair.
Dorsey, 63, was convicted last month of ordering the murder of Derwin Brown, who was shot and killed Dec. 15, 2000, three days before he was to take office after beating Dorsey in a bitter runoff election.
Dorsey, who also was found guilty on 11 of 14 charges of corruption in the sheriff's department, may one day be eligible for parole.
``Words cannot express the magnitude of this case, and hopefully there will never be another,'' District Attorney J. Tom Morgan said after the hearing.
``A sworn official, an elected official, used the power of his position to order the assassination of another elected official. This community has suffered because of this crime.''
But at his sentencing hearing, Dorsey maintained his innocence in both the murder and charges of corruption.
``I know you're going to sentence me severely, but I do not have the blood of Derwin Brown on my hands,'' Dorsey told Judge Cynthia Becker. ``I'm going to be in prison on the outside, but I'll be free on the inside because I do not have the blood of the sheriff-elect on my hands.''
He insisted:
``I was not a party to the murder of Derwin Brown. I did not orchestrate it, I did not plan it, I did not play a role in the diabolical and horrible murder of the sheriff-elect. However, here I am.''
Prosecutor John Petrey asked Dorsey whether he regretted any corruption or theft that occurred while he was sheriff.
``I have never considered anything I did as theft,'' Dorsey replied.
Brown's mother, Burkena Brown, one of five family members who spoke on Brown's behalf at the hearing, told the court: ``There is a hole where my heart used to be.''
Prosecutors charged that Dorsey recruited men to kill Brown, 46, so he could retake the sheriff's post in a special election. As rumors swirled of his involvement in Brown's slaying, Dorsey decided not to run.
The murder case was based chiefly on the testimony of two men, Patrick Cuffy and Paul Skyers, who said they helped carry out the slaying. Both men struck immunity deals with prosecutors.
Two other men, Melvin Walker and David Ramsey, were acquitted of murder charges in a separate trial.
Dorsey will serve his sentence in a prison in the Atlanta area, but the exact location was not disclosed.
I wonder if he'll go under an assumed name for his own safety.
It's a start in the right direction.
Recommended change to your last statement:
- now it's time to throw the congressthing out.
If he'd only committed 2nd degree murder, he'd be eligible for parole after roughly 15 years. I'm guessing that parole eligibility for 1st degree murder under these circumstances is more like 25 years on a life sentence. Then the earliest parole he could receive on the consecutive 23-year sentence would be about 15 years. So I think he's looking at 40 years in stir. But even if he only served half that time, he'd be 82 at release.
That way you can stuff his body when he dies and put him on display somewhere for 23 years to serve as an example.
Soounds like highly appropriate lodgings for some of Georgia's convicted child rapists and killers....
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