Widow reports she heard gunshot outside home

DECATUR - The widow of slain Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown reported to police she heard a gunshot outside her home over the weekend. <br> <br> Phyllis Brown said she heard a gunshot late Saturday night when she let her dog out around 11 p.m. She told police she noticed an unfamiliar black car across the street, closed her door and heard a gunshot. She said she then heard a car speed away. <br> <br> Authorities were investigating the incident. DeKalb police Sgt. Tom Stewart said no shell casings were found outside the home and there was nothing to indicate a bullet had hit the house. <br> <br> Other neighbors said they also heard the shot that night. <br> <br> Derwin Brown was ambushed and gunned down in his driveway Dec. 15, 2000, just days before he was to be sworn in. <br> <br> Former Sheriff Sidney Dorsey has been accused of ordering the slaying of Brown, who had defeated him for re-election and vowed to clean up the sheriff&#39;s department. <br> <br> Dorsey has denied any involvement. <br> <br> Prosecutors say four men carried out the killing on Dorsey&#39;s orders. Two of the men, Patrick Cuffy and Paul Skyers, were given immunity in exchange for testifying against their alleged co-conspirators. <br> <br> The other two men who prosecutors said participated in Brown&#39;s killing were acquitted last month. A jury found former sheriff&#39;s deputy Melvin Walker, and David Ramsey, who worked for Dorsey&#39;s private security firm, innocent after hearing a case based almost solely on the testimony of Cuffy and Skyers. <br> <br> Dorsey, whose trial has been scheduled for June, faces murder and racketeering charges. His attorneys recently asked for a change of venue, citing ``intensive pretrial publicity.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> A Superior Court judge was expected to rule Monday on where Dorsey&#39;s trial will be held.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/4/195680