Judge lays ground rules for trial coverage

ALBANY - The judge who will hear the murder trial of former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey established rules Wednesday for media representatives who will cover the trial. <br> <br> Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker threatened to jail reporters who try to talk to potential jurors in the high-profile case. She also asked them not to identify jurors until after the trial and said anyone causing courtroom disruptions would be ejected and barred from covering the trial. <br> <br> Becker met for about an hour with 20 reporters and photographers at the Dougherty County Courthouse in Albany. The trial was moved here because of widespread publicity in the Atlanta area. <br> <br> Jury selection is set to begin Monday. <br> <br> Noting that she has an obligation to protect Dorsey&#39;s right to a fair trial, the judge vowed, ``By heaven above, it is going to be fair.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Dorsey is charged with ordering the shooting death of Derwin Brown, a reform candidate whom voters had picked to replace him in 2000. <br> <br> Becker said an order barring Dorsey, defense attorneys, prosecutors, family members, investigators and others from commenting on the case outside of court remains in effect. She imposed the order in March in DeKalb County. <br> <br> The trial is expected to last five to six weeks.