1 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: Y'all. My friend deal Cardwell went to dairy Queen. 2 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 2: That's it. 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: A mundane decision, something I'm sure he didn't think about 4 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: more than two seconds. But that decision changed the power 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: structure of Decab County, Georgia. 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 2: Dale. 7 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Zone seven. I tell you I cannot wait 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: to talk to you about this case because it's important 9 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: to me and I know it's important to you. 10 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: Thank you, Cheryl, And I'll tell you that visit to 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: Dairy Queen weighs on my mind. Believe it or not, 12 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 2: that dairy Queen is still there and I drove by 13 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: it a few weeks ago. Just happened to drive by it, 14 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: and the consequences of that night just hit me. 15 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I tell you would have to think about it 16 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: almost any dairy Queen you passed. And you know, you 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: and I have known each other. We have kind of 18 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: done the math about thirty years. That's a long time. 19 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: But you know, I want my audience to know you're 20 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: not just you know, your average investigative reporter. You're the 21 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: face of trust Dell TV. You work consumer problem solving 22 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: for people. You make sure that folks are not taking 23 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: advantage of But when I first met you. You were 24 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: a reporter with WSB in Atlanta, and then you teamed 25 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: up with Clark Howard, which I'm sure most of the 26 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: listeners have heard of him. Yeah, and the work that 27 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: y'all did again to make sure people knew how to 28 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: save money, not get con not get scammed, which is 29 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: something we need every day because they think in new 30 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:48,559 Speaker 1: ways to get you. 31 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: You know, Cheryl, I would tell the world Mary got taken. 32 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 2: She lost ten thousand dollars. The police are trying to 33 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: find the perpetrator. It's unlikely they will. Don't let this 34 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: happen to you, And you know I did that thousands 35 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: of times, and I just grew tired of not having 36 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: any follow through. I saw that people were making the 37 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 2: same seven mistakes. Believing a story that was too good 38 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 2: to be true, hiring someone that didn't have liability insurance 39 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 2: or workers comp hiring someone without checking references, hiring someone 40 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: without knowing the difference between a real review and a 41 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: fake review, not doing a lawsuit search in magistrate court, 42 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 2: and then finally not reading their guarantee until it's too late. 43 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: And I thought, I can reverse engineer all this stuff. 44 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 2: I can do those seven steps in advance. But the 45 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: real test is sitting down with an owner of a 46 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 2: company and saying, if you're so certain that you deliver excellence, 47 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 2: will you sign an agreement with me that puts me 48 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 2: in charge if the consumer is unhappy. That's the secret, sauce. 49 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: And you find that the people that agree to do 50 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 2: that are humble and they believe in what they do. 51 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 2: They believe in win win relationships with their customs, and 52 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: that's the secret of why it works. 53 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: That's right. And listen, we're sitting on potentially an ice 54 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: storm right now. You know, you may have some trees down, 55 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: you may have some damage because of the ice, whether 56 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: it's pipes or something else. So be sure you are 57 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: checking these people out because in an emergency, you may 58 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: just be quick to get some help to your house, 59 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: but it might be the worst decision. So check check down. 60 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: I'm just telling you, and y'all you can hear. This 61 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,399 Speaker 1: is the reason the man's got six emmys. I mean, 62 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: he doesn't let up, he tracks it down, he stays 63 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: with it, and then he's going to stay with you 64 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: throughout the entire event. 65 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: So well, thank you, Cheryl. 66 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: Here's the case, y'all. We had a local sheriff that 67 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: had a private security firm, and what he was kind 68 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: of doing was he would have these deputies that worked 69 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: at the jail that would clock in but yet go 70 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: work security privately, not at the jail. So they were 71 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: double dipping essentially, that were stealing, point blank. 72 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: And he was getting free labor. 73 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: And he was getting free labor absolutely. But Dale, again, 74 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: this investigation started because you wanted some soft sort of 75 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: ice cream. 76 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 2: Well, it's actually my photographer, Jim Bridges. He suggested he 77 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 2: had a sweet tooth and we would almost always stop 78 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: and get something sweet after our live shot at eleven 79 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: o'clock at night. And so we walked in and I 80 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: felt this tap on my back and I turned around 81 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 2: and said, gentleman said, you're Dell card Well with Channel two, 82 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 2: and I said I am. He said, I've got the 83 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 2: story of the year, but I don't think anybody has 84 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 2: the courage to tell it. And I said, we'll try me. 85 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: And he handed me his card and said, why don't 86 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 2: you call me tomorrow? And Cheryl. All these years later, 87 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 2: twenty five years later, I must admit I was naive. 88 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 2: I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. 89 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 2: It was like pulling a thread. As you well know 90 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 2: as an investigator, you don't know what's going to come 91 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: off at the end of that thread. You just keep 92 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 2: pulling it because your curiosity takes you there, and obviously 93 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: it unraveled the way it did. Well. 94 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: You're also a really good reporter, and if there's a 95 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: story out there that nobody else has got, and this 96 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: man has already said nobody's got the guts to tell it, 97 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: that's a goal mine for you. 98 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was, and you know, the context of the 99 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 2: time is that, in my opinion, Sidney Dorsey was kind 100 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 2: of an untouchable because he had led the investigation in 101 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: the murdered and missing children's case right for the Atlanta 102 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 2: Police Department, and so he was a legend. He was 103 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 2: a legend, no doubt, and most people didn't realize that 104 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,559 Speaker 2: he had run for sheriff two times I think before 105 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 2: he actually won. And so when he became the first 106 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: African American sheriff in Georgia, I think the media was 107 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 2: afraid of it. I think his constituents feared him, I 108 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: think his enemies feared it, and I think all that 109 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 2: power got to his head and he surrounded himself with 110 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: syncophants and yes people, and that allowed him to go 111 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 2: too far. 112 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: Okay, so you start looking into what's going on with 113 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: Sidney Dorsey and these employees. Is he letting them basically 114 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: steal from the county And what do you find? 115 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 2: We started surveilling these deputies. We had some sources on 116 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 2: the inside, and they would call me and tell me 117 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 2: where they were going to be and when they were 118 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 2: going to be there, and Jim Bridges and I'm my 119 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: photographer would go to those locations and we would document 120 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 2: the deputy car parked behind the bank or the shopping center, 121 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: and then we would go in and get video of 122 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: them inside in their uniform simply patrolling or you know, 123 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: keeping watch over whatever organization that they would been sent 124 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 2: to watch. But then the real, the real test came 125 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 2: in filing an open records request for their pay sheets. 126 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 2: And this is a this is another fate full move. 127 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: Cheryl Sidney Dorsey was so corrupt and had such absolute 128 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 2: power that he put his daughter in charge of the 129 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 2: public Information office, so it was patronage she. I know 130 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 2: nothing about her other than she was very young and 131 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: probably had no experience as a media person. And so 132 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 2: I filed my open records request with her and she 133 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 2: handed me the smoking gun. She gave me the evidence 134 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 2: of those deputies working for the county when we had 135 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: documented proof that they were working for siden Dorsey's private 136 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 2: security company. 137 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: And back then the pat sheets were on paper. I 138 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: mean you filled them out yourself. 139 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: Yes, okay, so no computer, no computer. And I'll tell you, Cheryl, 140 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 2: Channel two was bent over backwards so much to try 141 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: to be fair to Sidney Dorsey. My managers told me 142 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: I had to call him and say, we have this 143 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: and we need to give you an opportunity to explain it. Well, 144 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 2: he did exactly what you would expect. He'd say, well, 145 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: those are misprints and give me a few hours and 146 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 2: I will supply you with the correct paperwork. And that's 147 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 2: exactly what he did. He had his payroll personnel change 148 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 2: the records, and Cheryl, I don't think we would have 149 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: ever done the story except for a couple of those 150 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 2: deputies came forward and said I'll sit down for an 151 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 2: interview with J. Tom Morgan, the District Attorney of Decab County, 152 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: Fred Mays with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and we'll 153 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: tell our story. And at that point, that's really what 154 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 2: led to everything. 155 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: Here's the deal, y'all. When you're talking about this kind 156 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: of fraud, there's always somebody left out. Somebody doesn't get 157 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: the deal to double dip, to make twice the money 158 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: in the same weekend, to be able to work one 159 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,719 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty hours a week and get paid overtime. 160 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: So you're going to have built in some people that 161 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: might just be willing to come forward and go on 162 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: the record. And the reason I wanted it to be clear, 163 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: this was on paper that you filled out yourself. You 164 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: know how computers are. You can hit a seven when 165 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: you mean six, you can put seven hundred when you 166 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: meant seventy. I mean, it can happen, But on paper 167 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: that's a lot harder to do. You're not going to 168 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: put down one hundred and twenty hours and you worked 169 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: one week. I mean, that's not going to make sense 170 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 1: to anybody. So you get, you know, investigating this thing. Now, 171 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 1: you've got people that are willing to go to the DA, 172 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: You've got the GBI brought in. Now what happens As. 173 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 2: You know, this story broke just before the primary election 174 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 2: into Cap County for Sheriff, so Sidney Dorsey had an 175 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 2: opponent in the race. His name was Derwin Brown. He 176 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 2: was a captain in the Decap County Police Department, but 177 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 2: he had to resign that position in order to run 178 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: for sheriff. And as you know Cheryl, back in the day, 179 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: no one gave Drwin Brown a chance. Sidney Dorsey was unbeatable, 180 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 2: and Dorsey thought it was a joke, and he mocked 181 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: Derwin Brown. But Derwin Brown was a wonderful guy. He 182 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: was beloved in his community. He and his wife, Phyllis, 183 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 2: were foster parents to the community. He had a real 184 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 2: passion for people, and he had a belief that he 185 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 2: could serve the people of the Cab County and clean 186 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 2: up the corruption in the sheriff's department. And so, as 187 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 2: fate would have it, you know, the people of Decab 188 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 2: County rose up and said, we're not standing for this. 189 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,439 Speaker 2: We do not want corruption in our sheriff's office. So 190 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 2: Sidney Dorsey was forced into a runoff because he did 191 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 2: not get fifty one percent of the vote. I think 192 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 2: he actually got forty nine percent of the vote and 193 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 2: was forced into the runoff. 194 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 1: And here's part of the story that my listeners don't know. 195 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: At this time, my real good friend Deborah Bird, she 196 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: calls me and she says, hey, I got a deal 197 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: for you. She says, I want you to come meet 198 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: this captain named Drwin Brown. He's going to change to 199 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: Cab County. He's going to do things the right way. 200 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: And he is talking about doing a cold case squad 201 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: where you can work from home. And I was like, 202 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: what now, work from home? I had never heard that, Dell, 203 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: but it sounded like heaven and walk. And I were, 204 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: you know, seriously thinking about starting a family, and I 205 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: thought this might just be perfect. And so even though 206 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: I was already bought in because it sounded, you know, 207 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: like the perfect setup for a new mom, I met 208 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: Drwin Brown and immediately I was like, Okay, he's the 209 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: real deal. He's going to do this thing. He's gonna 210 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 1: do it the right way. There's got you know, there's 211 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: going to be an open door, you know, no behind 212 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: the scenes, no under the table, no scratching the bax. 213 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: It's just going to be ethical and upright and the 214 00:11:57,960 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: right thing at the right time for the right reason. 215 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: So I was all in, whether it was going to 216 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: be worked from home or not. I thought this is fantastic, 217 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: And then your story started to come out, and I 218 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: think that changed the tide, don't you Because here it 219 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: was in black and white. Here it was in their homes, 220 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: on their TV that maybe Sheriff Dorsey is not who 221 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: y'all think he is, Maybe he does not have your 222 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: best interest at heart, and maybe he's even ripping you all. 223 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 2: You know, Cheryl. Another rarely told portion of this was 224 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 2: that Dorsey's constituency were churches, and a lot of the 225 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 2: ministers of those churches supported Sidney Dorsey. As part of 226 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 2: the corruption and part of the information that came to light, 227 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 2: there was a sexual harassment suit filed against Sidney Dorsey 228 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 2: by a deputy named Steresa Beasley. 229 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: That's correct, And it also. 230 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 2: Came out later that he had given a bonding license 231 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 2: to a woman in trade for sex. And when that 232 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 2: hit the news, the women in those churches obviously no 233 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 2: longer supported Sidney Dorsey. I think that was a huge 234 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 2: moment in that election. 235 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: And that's what I'm saying about your investigative work. It 236 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: wasn't just the one thing you realized at that house 237 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: of cards, the base of it, every card on the 238 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: bottom was a problem. And you know, when you start 239 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: looking at that, it's not only going to fall, it's 240 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: going to fall and hit everybody in its path. 241 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 2: Cheryl. He was giving out real badges to dozens and 242 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 2: dozens of people that were not law enforcement officers, and 243 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 2: they were using those badges. There was a situation where 244 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 2: a couple of bounty hunters used their badges to break 245 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: into a secure facility and it resulted in shootings, and 246 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 2: you know, and it was just unbelievable the scope. You know, 247 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 2: Sidney Dorsey using the cab County jail inmates to fix 248 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 2: up houses in his wife's Atlanta City council City Council district, 249 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 2: and it was believed at the time that he owned 250 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 2: some of those houses as rental property. So he was 251 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 2: getting free labor from the people that were incarcerated in 252 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 2: the jail. And there was obviously very few checks and 253 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 2: balances as to who was getting out on those work 254 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 2: details because they were benefiting said dorst. Y'all. 255 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: Derwin Brown won he won the election. Everybody was so excited. 256 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: Everybody just thought, Okay, this is going to be a 257 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: new day. Dale did a great story. He exposed it. 258 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: That guy didn't win. Cool. Everybody thinks that's done. It's 259 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: going to be a new day. Let's all get to work. 260 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: Dale's got new stories to chase. It's all good, But honey, 261 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: your involvement was not over. Tell us what happened. On 262 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: December the fifteenth, two thousand. 263 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 2: My wife and I had been in bed for about 264 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 2: thirty forty minutes and my phone rings and it's probably 265 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 2: about twelve forty five am. Hello, and the voice on 266 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: the other line side of the line says, mister Cardwell, 267 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 2: and I said, yeah, this is Sergeant Tom Stewart, the 268 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 2: Pcap County Sheriff's Department. Are you okay? And I'm like, yeah, yeah, 269 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 2: I'm okay. He says, could you come to your front door? 270 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 2: And my wife looks at me and says, what's going on? 271 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 2: I said, I don't know. It's the police department. And 272 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 2: we both immediately realized that our son was spending the 273 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 2: night with a friend that night. So you think the worst. 274 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: Sheriff of course, of course, walking down the hall like 275 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 2: there's cement in your pajamas. And I opened the front 276 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 2: door of my home and there's a half dozen police 277 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 2: officers standing there, and it's a miserable, cold, rainy night, 278 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 2: and there's water dripping off the brims of their hats. 279 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 2: And Sergeant Stewart said, mister Cardwell, the Sheriff elect of 280 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 2: the Abbe County, Drwin Brown, was murdered in his driveway 281 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 2: within the hour. We frankly expected to find you dead 282 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 2: as well. If he would take a few minutes and 283 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: gather up some clothes in your family would need to 284 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 2: take you into protective custody. And it was a surreal moment, Cheryl. 285 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 2: It was just it was the unbelievable came real. And 286 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 2: my wife was horrified. I was horrified, and you know, 287 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 2: you just could not believe it could have come to that, 288 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 2: and of course my mind immediately went to Sydney Dorsey. 289 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 2: But there was absolutely no evidence of a connection for 290 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 2: a long time, as you well know. 291 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: Na isn't that something because you know, for us when 292 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: Deborah called me, and again, I didn't know Derwin that long, 293 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: but I knew him long enough, and you know, you 294 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: could tell the kind of man he was. He was 295 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: a family man first. Those five children came first, his 296 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: wife came first. The job was something that was a 297 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: part of his heart and mind, and he just you know, 298 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: he made you want to do better, and he wanted 299 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: everybody in his atmosphere to do better. And you know, 300 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: the first thing that I thought about was, remember he 301 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: came out and said all the people he was going 302 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: to fire. He said it, and he called him and 303 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: told him as soon as I take off, as you're gone, 304 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: because they were part of the problem. 305 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 2: And you know, Cheryl, he was advised not to do that. 306 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 2: His top advisors say, don't telegraph what you're going to do, 307 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 2: but that was his character. I mean, he said, look, 308 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 2: I don't appreciate what these people have been doing, and 309 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 2: that's why I'm terminating them. But their families owed a 310 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: head up, heads up that you know, they hut back 311 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 2: all the provisions. And what most people don't realize is 312 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 2: I interviewed Derwin Brown about that decision. It was the 313 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 2: one and only time I ever met him, and that 314 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 2: was That was the lead story on Channel Too that night. 315 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, and for me, that became the suspect list in 316 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: my mind the first thing I thought about, Yeah, but 317 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 1: my mind did not go immediately to Sidney Dorsey. My 318 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,719 Speaker 1: mind would immediately to those people that he fired, because 319 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 1: I thought, Sidney Dorsey, I mean, you win, you lose. 320 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:19,439 Speaker 1: He's going to have a retirement. No matter what. He 321 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: can go do speeches. He's still who he was as 322 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: far as you know the missing and murdered children's case, 323 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: as far as the first African American sheriff, He's going 324 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:32,919 Speaker 1: to be fine. It's those people in that same month 325 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: that found out they were going to be fired that 326 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: I thought maybe somebody just couldn't take it, and that's 327 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: why they went and killed him in his driveway. And 328 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: it was a straight up assassination. 329 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 2: Shot twelve times point blank. 330 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 1: Twelve times twelve times point blank, holding flowers that he 331 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: was bringing home to his wife. And here you're standing 332 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: at your front door having to absorb the information that 333 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 1: this man has just been assassinated, and they're telling you what. 334 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 1: They're at your door for what reason? 335 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 2: They believed that I would have been found dead the 336 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 2: same night. It was their understanding and belief that Sidney 337 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 2: Dorsey had a handful of people he wanted removed, and 338 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 2: he was so arrogant that he didn't see that he 339 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 2: would become the prime suspect or. That was the extent 340 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 2: of his hatred that he felt that I had been 341 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 2: responsible for what had happened to him, and he wanted 342 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 2: me killed. 343 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, there was a straight up hit list. Honey, your 344 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:32,719 Speaker 1: name was on it, big as Dallas. So when you 345 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: look Sheriff Lect Derwin Brown, daj Tom Morgan, and reporter 346 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:44,160 Speaker 1: Del cardwell, I mean that had to just knock you out, 347 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: because again, this wasn't a hit list that was somebody's 348 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: fantasy found in jail cell. This was a hit list 349 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: where the number one person had already been assassinated. 350 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 2: Yes, I will say that I have to give credit 351 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 2: who First of all, God who protected my family. But 352 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: the county moved to action. Uh, you know, my employer 353 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 2: moved into action. They my family and I. We lived 354 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 2: in hotels for a few weeks. My employer hired a 355 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 2: retired secret service agent to come stay with us. And 356 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 2: this guy was on the LBJ assignment. So you talk 357 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 2: about story, Cheryl, he had stories, but he taught us 358 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 2: how to protect ourselves. Eddie, Eddie Moody. Chief Moody said, well, 359 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 2: if you get stopped and you're in a pinch, tell 360 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: the officer to call me. And so I would. I 361 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 2: would drive a different car. The station would give me 362 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 2: a rental car and I would switch it out every week. 363 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 2: And they told me to drive a different path home 364 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 2: and be very careful and you know, and observant of 365 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 2: who may be following you. And that's the way it 366 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 2: was for a while. 367 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: Well today you were surrounded by some incredible people and 368 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: chieve A. Moody is not just a mentor to me, 369 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: but he is somebody that I love and a door 370 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: and has helped me navigate my career and make sure 371 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: that I don't have some missteps. He's just been a 372 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 1: tremendous person in my life. And I know what he 373 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 1: did for you. And you know when you when you 374 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: think about this case and you think, okay, here Dale 375 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: goes for some ice cream, and then he gets this 376 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: unbelievable lead. He follows through. He he does his job, 377 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: He does his job ethically and perfectly professionally, and then 378 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 1: this tragedy happens. But Dale, you get another lead. What 379 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: in the world. I almost feel like I have to 380 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: say this because I don't think your wife gets enough credit, 381 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:52,120 Speaker 1: because there there would be a point in my marriage 382 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: where I'd be like, Dale, sit down. I mean, you 383 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: you need you ain't leaving the house, forget changing cars 384 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 1: and learning to protect yourself. No, we are going to 385 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: hunker down we are going to go to the middle 386 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: of Montana. I mean she had to be frightened for you, 387 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: for her child. I mean, if your son were to 388 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: take the car out, I mean, they don't know it's 389 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: not you from a distance. And I just think I 390 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: just want to give her credit because I might have 391 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: shut this whole operation down. 392 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you, Cheryl, that's very thoughtful of 393 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 2: you and very sweet. Angie has a deep faith, and 394 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 2: she felt as though we had been called to do 395 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 2: what we do. We'd been moved to Atlanta in nineteen 396 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 2: ninety six, and she just felt as though I was 397 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 2: showing up doing what I was supposed to be doing. 398 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you how deep it went. My daughter 399 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 2: was eight years old when it happened, and she grew 400 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 2: up and I was not even aware of this. She 401 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 2: grew up and told me years later she just bought 402 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 2: somebody wanted to kill her dad. All the time, she 403 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 2: grew up with the impression that I was constantly in 404 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 2: danger because I didn't have the maturity or the perspective 405 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 2: to say, wait a second, how would this affect eighteen 406 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: an eight year old girl? And so I think she 407 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 2: still has some level of PTSD because of that. 408 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: Sure, because here's the thing, the worst possible thing has happened, 409 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: and you are reporting about it. You're still on the 410 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,920 Speaker 1: news covering it. But tell us how you figured out 411 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: the mastermind behind the assassination of Drwin Brown. 412 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,159 Speaker 2: I'll tell you two stories. So my colleague Mark Winnie, 413 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 2: who still works at WSBTV, he got an exclusive interview 414 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: with Sidney Dorsey. And I remember Angie and I and 415 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 2: the kids were going out of town, that they were 416 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 2: moving us out of state, and I was watching the 417 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:49,479 Speaker 2: TV at a Longhorn steakhouse and Mark was interviewing Sidney 418 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 2: Dorsey and Mark said, in his indelible style, tell the 419 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 2: audience now, if you would, did you have anything to 420 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 2: do with the murder of Derwin Brown? And he said, 421 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 2: I did not have anything to do with the murder 422 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 2: of Dermy Brown. And it was so believable, Cheryl, it 423 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 2: was so believable. But then he tripped up and Mark 424 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 2: told me this recently and I didn't even catch it 425 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 2: at the time. He said, are you concerned that some 426 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:20,160 Speaker 2: wayward followers might have done it on your behalf? And 427 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 2: Dorsey telegraphed what happened. He says, yes, it has come 428 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 2: to my concern that maybe some employees would have done this, 429 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 2: and so Mark didn't suggest employees. I suggested followers. And 430 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 2: Mark caught that, and so I thought that was really interesting. 431 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 2: But as you know, the investigation had stalled, and it 432 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 2: had been months, and as fate would have it, it 433 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 2: was a rainy, miserable night, so no physical evidence was 434 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 2: at the crime scene. They couldn't find the murder weapon. 435 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 2: It was as though something had led to Sidney Dorsey 436 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 2: and the henchman getting away with this. But then Cuffee 437 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 2: Patrick Cuffey, who was the primary organizer of the hit, 438 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 2: had been unemployed for weeks because he was terminated as 439 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,920 Speaker 2: a result of Darwin Brown's that murdered that Thomas Brown 440 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 2: became interer of sheriff and Patrick Cuffey was terminated, so 441 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 2: he'd gone many weeks without a paycheck. He arranged he 442 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 2: was from the Islands, so he had arranged for a 443 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 2: bale of marijuana to be imported into the United States 444 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 2: and Patrick Cuffey put up ten thousand dollars, probably the 445 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,199 Speaker 2: last money he had, in order to hopefully turn that 446 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 2: ten thousand into one hundred thousand. Well, that dope was 447 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 2: intercepted and stolen, as often happens among those kinds of folks. 448 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 2: That resulted in a shootout in front of Patrick Cuffey's home. 449 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 2: And this took place I believe it was March of 450 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, and so, like I said, that the 451 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 2: case had gone cold. They arrested Cuffey for obstruction, but 452 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 2: they couldn't hold him, and I think they had to 453 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 2: let him out of jail. But that's the night before 454 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 2: that happened, there had been a break in in an 455 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 2: apartment complex in Decatur and a young woman called the police. 456 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,160 Speaker 2: The police came, and then she was petrified of talking, 457 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 2: so they couldn't really get her to tell what had happened. 458 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 2: So the next day, a source inside the Decab County 459 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 2: Police Department stopped me. I was indicator, and they stopped me. 460 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 2: They were in their vehicle and they said, Dale, there 461 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 2: was a break in last night and it happened at 462 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 2: this apartment complex, and this is the name of a 463 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 2: person who reported it, but she would not tell us 464 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 2: what happened. We think it's somehow connected to the shootout 465 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 2: at Cuffey's house, and it might be connected to the 466 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 2: murder of Derwin Brown. So my photographer and I went 467 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: to this apartment complex and knocked on the door and 468 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 2: this young woman came to the door and Cheryl. She 469 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 2: was so frightened she would barely speak to me, and 470 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 2: so I said, she invited us in. We sat down 471 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 2: at her kitchen table and I said, well, if you 472 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 2: if you don't want to say it, can you write it? 473 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 2: Can you write it? And she took out a napkin, 474 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 2: kitchen napkin and wrote on the napkin George shot kid. 475 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 2: It was a dope deal. And kid was her boyfriend, 476 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 2: Nigel Terry I think his name was, and Jeffrey Nigel 477 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 2: George pardon me. And you know, I didn't know who 478 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 2: these people were. I didn't I didn't know the name 479 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 2: she was naming. But that wound up being our story 480 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 2: that night at You know that the break in at 481 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 2: her apartment had to do with the group that lost 482 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 2: the dope trying to find the people who stole the dope, 483 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 2: and that's what led to the shootout in front of 484 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 2: Cupp House. Well after our story aired, the Decab County 485 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 2: Police and the GBI went back to her apartment took 486 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 2: her into custody. I don't know if they charged her, 487 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 2: but what they had was false statements, and so that 488 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 2: led to her telling them the story, which led to 489 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 2: them being able to charge Cuffey as an access free 490 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 2: to murder. And then that's what put Cuffey behind bars 491 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 2: for several weeks, so that he could steal and realize 492 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 2: that Sidney Dorsey had done him no favors and Sidney 493 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 2: Dorsey was not coming to his rescue, and so that's 494 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 2: when Patrick Cuffey decided to tell the truth. 495 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: And Patrick Cuffey tells a story about Sidney Dorsey write 496 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: something on a piece of paper himself. 497 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 2: He was invited over to the sheriff's home and like 498 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 2: a Hollywood script, Dorsey writes on a sheet of paper, 499 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 2: I want you to kill Derwin Brown, shows it to 500 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 2: Cuffey and then wats it up, tears it up, puts 501 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 2: it in his mouth and swallows it. And so that's 502 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 2: what Patrick Cuffey did. He went and he got Paul 503 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 2: Skyers and Melvin Walker, who was a deputy in the 504 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 2: tacab County Sheriff's Department, and David June Ramsey, and he 505 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 2: did the same thing. They pretended they were going fishing. 506 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 2: They were sitting on the bank of a lake. Cuffee 507 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 2: writes on a sheet of paper, the judge, which is 508 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 2: what they called Sidney Dorsey, the judge wants us to 509 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: kill Derwin Brown. And then he wadded it up, put 510 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 2: it in his mouth and swallowed it. And so there 511 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 2: was no physical evidence at all of any of this happening, 512 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 2: and there was nothing tying it back to Sidney Dorsey. 513 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 2: And so Cheryl, as I'm sure you remember, well, Melvin 514 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 2: Walker and David Ramsey stood trial after Cuffey turned on 515 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 2: them in Decab County, and they were acquitted because no 516 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 2: one wanted to believe Patrick Cuffey. They couldn't stand the 517 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 2: idea of Patrick Covey getting an immunity deal. 518 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: Derwin Brown's wife, remember, she just crumbled. I mean, y'all 519 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: are going to just let these killers walk out of here? 520 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 2: Yeah? 521 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: No, it was unbelievable. 522 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 2: It was horrible, and I felt, make no mistake. And 523 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 2: you know this, Phyllis Brown was as much of a 524 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 2: victim of this as Drwin Brown. She died five years later. 525 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: She sure did, and she looked like she was going 526 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: to die that very day. I mean, she was so 527 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: brittle and fragile, and consumed with her grief. 528 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 2: It was horrible. You know, sometimes if you believe in 529 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 2: serendipity and you believe in karma. Sidney Dorsey made the 530 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 2: worst decision he could have possibly made, and that was 531 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 2: to request the court for the for his trial to 532 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 2: be moved to Albany. Cheryl, I don't think, I don't 533 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 2: know if you and I would be having this conversation 534 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 2: now if he had been tried into cab County. 535 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: I hear you one hundred. 536 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 2: Because there was no physical evidence tying Sidney Dorsey to 537 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 2: this crime. But the mistake is that back in two 538 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 2: thousand and two, I think Doerdy County and Albany probably 539 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 2: still had a foundation in right and wrong that that 540 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 2: that maybe more modern cities don't have or lose a 541 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 2: good bit of. And the people of Doherty County and 542 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 2: Albany saw it for what it was, a heinous murder, 543 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 2: and they found Sidney Dorsey guilty. 544 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: You are, hands down, I think the greatest example of 545 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: the need for the First Amendment that I ever witnessed 546 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: up close and personal. Again, one lead, not one story, 547 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: but multiple leads, multiple stories. If not for you, we're 548 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: not having this conversation. 549 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 2: Cheryl Jay Tom Morgan, who I have great respect for. 550 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 2: He's writing a book and the book is coming out 551 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty six, and he and I discussed this, 552 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 2: and the interesting partnership that took place between he and 553 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,959 Speaker 2: I was that it was no partnership at all. I 554 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 2: couldn't intentionally help him and he couldn't intentionally help me. 555 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 2: We just both had to do our jobs. We discussed this, 556 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 2: and I said, Jay Thomas is probably the best example 557 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 2: of jurisprudence and journalism working together to do the right thing. 558 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,200 Speaker 2: And so I appreciate your kind word, Cheryl, but I 559 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:50,960 Speaker 2: really do believe it's a strong case for why the 560 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 2: First Amendment is so important. 561 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: Amen. And I think your wife is right. I mean, 562 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: I'm episcopalian. I think when you do the right thing, 563 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: it comes back to you. I think when you help people, 564 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: it comes back to you. And that's what I've seen 565 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: throughout your career. And you know you did this not 566 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: for fame and fortune. Clearly you did this great risk 567 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: of your personal safety and the safety of your family. 568 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: And to have that support built in with your wife, 569 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:21,640 Speaker 1: it's incredible to me. So thank you so much, thank 570 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: you for your friendship over thirty years. Thank you for 571 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: the job that you have done in Atlanta for so 572 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: many people, but this specifically this case, what you did 573 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 1: means the world to everybody that cared anything at all 574 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: about Drwin Brown. 575 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 2: Well, I try to think about what the positives might 576 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 2: have been, and one of the positives is that decap 577 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 2: County voters stood up and wanted to replace a scoundrel, 578 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 2: and they wanted better government. Number one. Number two is 579 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 2: that I to this day am very close with the 580 00:33:56,480 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 2: Brown family and especially Brandy Brown, who was twenty one 581 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 2: at the time this happened. And I sleep better every night, Cheryl, 582 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:10,880 Speaker 2: knowing that they don't hold me responsible for what happened 583 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 2: to their dad, because journalism can have its downsides and 584 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:18,360 Speaker 2: negative effects. But as you know, there's no way I 585 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 2: would have ever wanted that to be the outcome of 586 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:20,800 Speaker 2: this case. 587 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,760 Speaker 1: Of course, absolutely, and again that speaks to his family, 588 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: It speaks to his children, no question their character. Amen, Dale, 589 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 1: thank you so much, my pleasure. 590 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:34,200 Speaker 2: Thank you for what you do, Cheryl. I think sharing 591 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 2: these stories is so important. 592 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:39,280 Speaker 1: I do too. Part of the reason I even agreed 593 00:34:39,680 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 1: to do this podcast was so my children would hear 594 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: these stories and have them and know about all these 595 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: people that are special to me and the heroes and 596 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:51,560 Speaker 1: what they did. And again, I hope your children can 597 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: hear this and hear other people say that you were 598 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 1: a hero in this thing period, no question about it. 599 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:02,520 Speaker 2: Well, I say I as far. I wish it would 600 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,359 Speaker 2: have ended in a much different way than it is 601 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:05,839 Speaker 2: what it is. 602 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 1: I'm going to end Zone seven the way that I 603 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 1: always do with a quote. It bothers me because I 604 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 1: know in my gut there's more to the story. Is 605 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,640 Speaker 1: it something I'm supposed to pursue or is it something 606 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to get past and move on with my life. 607 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:31,880 Speaker 1: Brandy Brown Rhodes, daughter of Derwin Brown. I'm Cheryl McCollum, 608 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 1: and this is Zone seven.