Confessed getaway driver defends his deal with prosecutors

<p>A man who cut a deal with prosecutors in exchange for testifying about the plot to kill DeKalb County Sheriff-Elect Derwin Brown defended his credibility Thursday as attorneys for the accused triggerman and accused backup shooter tried to poke holes in his story.</p><p>Paul Skyers, the confessed getaway driver, explained to jurors in the federal trial of Melvin Walker and David Ramsey that his immunity deal prevents state and federal prosecutors from ever charging him in Brown's death.</p><p>Former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey has been convicted of orchestrating the murder. Brown had defeated Dorsey in a primary runoff election four months before the killing.</p><p>Walker and Ramsey's attorney painted Skyers, the prosecution's key witness, as an opportunist who would lie to benefit himself and kill out of loyalty to Patrick Cuffy, who also made a deal with prosecutors and admitted to being an armed lookout when Brown was killed Dec. 15, 2000.</p><p>"Mr. Skyers, isn't it true that you testify in whatever direction the wind carries you and in whatever way it benefits you and Patrick Cuffy?" defense attorney Max Richardson asked Skyers.</p><p>"I testify the truth, and yes, the truth benefits me," Skyers shot back.</p><p>According to Skyers, Cuffy _ who was in jail related to another murder _ was first offered the immunity deal. Cuffy himself presented a copy of the agreement to Skyers, who said he was initially outraged that Cuffy has admitted to the killing.</p><p>However, after being offered the same deal, Skyers said he agreed and detailed the plot to kill Brown to investigators the same day.</p><p>Brown was killed after returning from a party following the completion of his sheriff's training and three days before he was to take office. Dorsey was convicted two years later and is serving a life sentence.</p><p>Skyers told the jury on Wednesday that he and the others met weekly to stake out Brown's home and plan the killing. He also said he supplied the semiautomatic gun used in the shooting, a Tec-9 dropped from someone he had chased away while working private security.</p><p>Walker and Ramsey were acquitted on state murder charges in March 2002, but now face 12 federal charges, including conspiracy to violate the federal murder-for-hire statute, firearms crimes, and using interstate facilities to kill Brown on the orders of Dorsey.</p><p>Their trial started Tuesday and is expected to last two weeks.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/7/142920