DECATUR - Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a 24-year-old man charged with killing an alleged drug dealer whose shooting involved a former deputy linked to the slaying of Derwin Brown, the DeKalb County sheriff-elect. <br>
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Carl Hewitt is charged with murder in the March 18, 2001 shooting death of 27-year-old Jeffrey ``Nigel'' George. George's body was found later that day abandoned at a park in south DeKalb County. <br>
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Authorities have said the shootout stemmed from a dispute over a stolen truck and a large amount of narcotics. The shooting occurred outside the Ellenwood home of Patrick Cuffy, a former sheriff's deputy prosecutors consider an integral link in the Brown investigation. <br>
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Former DeKalb Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, former deputy Melvin Walker and David Ramsey have been charged with murder in Brown's shooting. Authorities have not said whether there was a connection between Brown's homicide and the shootout that killed George. <br>
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Besides murder, Hewitt is charged with armed robbery, kidnapping with bodily injury and two counts of aggravated assault in George's death. <br>
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Cuffy, Hewitt's brother Dania Hewitt, Antonio Montez and German Montez also were charged in connection with George's death. <br>
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Cuffy, who admits organizing Brown's slaying on December 15, 2000, has negotiated an aggravated assault plea with prosecutors. Trial for the others is pending.