Home > DeKalb.Talk > Archives > 2007 > February > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USShould the Brown family be compensated?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The children of the late DeKalb Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, made an impassioned plea to the state claims board on Monday be paid $3.6 million for the loss of their father.
Brown was assassinated outside his home in December 2000 before he took office.
They were rejected — told that their father’s murderer, defeated incumbent Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, was “evil” and acted on his own.
Should the state compensate the Brown family for the murder of their father? How much should the state pay?
Comments
By LoFlyer
February 7, 2007 08:25 AM | Link to this
Yes, the Brown family should receive compensation, but not 3.6 million dollars. And the money should be paid by DeKalb, not the state of Georgia. The figure of 3.6 is arrived at by the claim that Brown would have been elected three times, or 12 years. While it was very possible for Brown to have been elected three times for Sheriff, its is also possible Brown might of only been elected only once. A compromise of 1.8 million or six years pay, seems reasonable to most people. DeKalb’s handling of the matter has been nothing short of shameful. DeKalb’s commissioners and citizens have partial responsibility because they allowed the whole sorry affair to occur in the first place. DeKalb citizens elected Dorsey knowing his past history of corruption and violence; they elected him anyway. The DeKalb CEO attempted to reign in Sid Dorsey, but “the gang of four” female commissioners were united in opposing anything by Liane Levitan. Racial politics were played upon by Dorsey with the same old tired Bill Campbell tactics of legal obstruction and complaints of racism to any criticism of the Sheriff, no matter how valid or justified the criticism. The DeKalb DA J. Tom Morgan had a shrewd idea of what was going on, and was trying to seat a grand jury to investigate but got derailed by racial politics. J. Tom had the misfortune of being born white. DeKalb County government has paid only what the county legally owed Derwin Brown for 23 years of participation in the counties pension system and not one cent more. DeKalb county could have easily created a public campaign to contribute to Phyliss Dorsey and her family with public contributions, but apparently DeKalb could not bear the thought of actually helping the family of the victim of DeKalb governments corruption and mis-management. DeKalb’s citizens are very giving, just witness the efforts put forth by DeKalb for the Katrina refugees when DeKalb citizens opened their homes to shelter the Katrina victims. They wanted to help the Brown family, but DeKalb’s leadership was only evident by their denial of any responsibility and emberrased silence on the issue. Mr. CEO Jones immediately formed his personal “executive security squad” to assure his own protection against assassins. The half a million a year spent on Mr. CEO’s useless protection for the last six years would have gone far in helping out Phyliss Brown and her family in their time of need. The Grand jury is a great tool for ferreting out government corruption and mis-management. The current DeKalb DA is not real big on seating Grand juries to investigate or monitor government functions. Perhaps it is time to bring back Grand juries or at least a DA who will use them for that purpose. Currently Dunwoody is talking secession from DeKalb and creating their own city. A Grand jury might be instrumental in providing information on exactly who pays for what in DeKalb and equitable distribution of tax revenue throughout DeKalb.(and remove Dunwoody’s motivation for leaving DeKalb Government.)
By Don't use my tax dollars
February 7, 2007 08:47 AM | Link to this
Aren’t all of the “children” adults? If they are, then let them make their own way in life. It doesn’t matter if Derwin Brown was going to make millions in salary, who’s to say the “children” were going to get any of it. If we need to compromise on this then give them 3 years salary and move on. I moved to Dekalb after all this happened and don’t feel responsible for any of it. I don’t want my tax dollars to pay for it. either. You all need come up with a fund to pay for it without using tax money.
By T
February 8, 2007 08:06 AM | Link to this
I agree with one of the commenters, the Brown adults need to move on. It’s extremely unfortunate what happened to their father, but that was at the hands of (5) men not Dekalb County and it’s tax payers, and we shouldn’t have to pay for it. To me they need to grow up and be the adults they were going to be before this, and without tax payers money……
By Try Again
February 8, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this
It’s just another ploy to get money without having to actually work for it. Make your OWN way in the world, and quit expecting everyone else to pay your way.
By Allen
February 8, 2007 05:16 PM | Link to this
“the victim of DeKalb governments corruption and mis-management.”
I ceratinly am not about to argue that the county government is pure and well-managed, but it wasn’t the county that shot Mr. Brown. Nor was it the people that voted for (and against!) Mr. Dorsey.
I’m very sorry for the Brown family, but the county and its residents simply aren’t liable here.
By FedUp
February 9, 2007 09:25 AM | Link to this
Absolutely not! Not one penny. Is it a tragedy? Of course. Are we all sick of the corruption? Yes! No one is entitled. Especially grown children. Honor your parents. Be respectful. Grow up. Get a job. Support yourself.
By Jack
February 12, 2007 07:36 AM | Link to this
There are freeloaders everywhere.
By Mark
February 13, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
This is why people buy life insurance. Lots of people die without insurance and it is tough for those left behind. I feel great sorrow for the family but this case is no different than hundreds of other wage earners killed each year in shootings, car accidents, etc.
By Peechez
February 13, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this
Yes, the Brown children are grown now,but at the time of his death they were still were children and it shouldn’t matter anyways and yes it is a tragedy and the money will not fill the void. I do think they should get compensated for wrongful death. My heart goes out to the Brown family I cant put myself in their shoes,but I have the dearest sympathy for all of their lost. I hope they get the money that they deserve, and if any of the Brown family is reading this God Bless you and I will keep you all in my prayers.
By natalie
February 13, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this
They should absolutely get compensated; if that were to happen to anyone else they would want the same.
By By Kay
February 13, 2007 02:02 PM | Link to this
Yes, I think they should be compensated. If it was your mother and father in the same situation, you would want to be compensated. He was tracked and killed using Dekalb personnel/services.
By suyin
February 13, 2007 03:01 PM | Link to this
No they should NOT be compensated. What happened was a terrible tragedy, but they’re all able-bodied adults so they should get a job and support themselves like the rest of us. Stop trying to sponge off the taxpayers. We didn’t do it, and should not have to pay. We pay way enough as it is.
By You Guessed It
February 14, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this
Money does nothing to revive the dead.
By Analyze This
February 14, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
If we start paying for something someone else did to a family, then I want reparation for the family members I lost to blacks during the D.C. riots when MLK was killed.
By dee
February 15, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this
first and foremost when sheriff elect brown was killed several of his children were not adults i do’t feel his wife should have had to go through such heartache for the county to have paid her- if he was elected whether or not he was sworned in it was still his salary- shame on dekalb county administration..
By By Pete
February 15, 2007 06:40 PM | Link to this
Why would any compensation be paid to Mr Brown’s family by Dekalb or Georgia unless there is a signed agreement between him and the state or county stating an amount if killed in the line of duty.
By Richard
February 19, 2007 08:50 AM | Link to this
First, because the murders was committed by Law enforcement officers of Dekalb on an elected official, yes the Dekalb County should compensated the Brown family the same as they would for a Law enforrcement officer killed in the line of duty.
By Richard
February 19, 2007 08:56 AM | Link to this
It is amazing how we are concern by tax dollar being spent for family, where a Dekalb County official shoot and kill there father for no reasson at all. However, we do not have a problem with wasting taxpayers money in Iraq.