Sheriff-elect Slaying Suspect in Shootout

E L L E N W O O D, Ga., March 19, 2001 -- A former sheriff's deputy whose attorneysays he is a suspect in the sheriff-elect's assassination wasinvolved in a shootout that left one man dead and another wounded,authorities said today.

Neighbors said Patrick Cuffy exchanged gunfire Sunday morningoutside his home with several men who arrived in at least twovehicles. Cuffy, 35, is a central figure in the investigation intothe slaying of Derwin Brown, who was shot 11 times Dec. 15, daysbefore he was to take office as DeKalb County sheriff.

Brown ran as a reformer and had promised to fire 38 workers whenhe took office Jan. 1. His wife and five children found him lyingin the driveway of their home in Decatur.

Sunday's shooting took place in a middle-class subdivisionsoutheast of Atlanta as residents were leaving for church orenjoying the sunshine.

Cuffy and two other men were in police custody this morning.DeKalb police spokeswoman Mikki Jones said Cuffy's friend DaniaHewitt, who was wounded in the shootout, has been charged withmurder in connection with a body found in a park. She said Cuffywould be charged with evidence tampering, a misdemeanor. The nameof the third man in custody was not released.

WXIA-TV quoted Cuffy's attorney, E. Duane Jones, as saying theevidence tampering charge was brought because Cuffy carried a guninto his house after the shooting. Jones also said Cuffy did notfire a shot.

Victim Beaten and Shot

In a statement issued this afternoon, police identified thedead man as Jeffery "Nigel" George but gave no details on hisbackground. The statement said he had been beaten as well as shot.

Cuffy told WAGA-TV that he was talking with Hewitt outside hishouse "when three different vehicles fired at us. Hewitt was shotin both legs, but I believe they were trying to get me."

Hewitt was treated at Grady Memorial Hospital and released. Authorities searched Cuffy's home in January. Jones has saidCuffy was targeted in the Brown case to lead investigators awayfrom the sheriff-elect's real killer.

"You get rid of the person that people are thinking now is themain suspect, and at the same time, you send a very eloquentwarning to whoever out there might really have some informationthat they better keep their mouth shut," Jones said.

Two men were arrested in connection with the case last week andcharged with lying to investigators. Authorities say one of themlied about where he and Cuffy were the night of Brown's murder.

Cuffy was employed by the private security company run by formerSheriff Sidney Dorsey, the man Brown defeated in a runoff inAugust. Cuffy has said he believes investigators are targeting himbecause of his affiliation with Dorsey.

Dorsey was under investigation for allegedly using on-dutydeputies to work for his private security company and for lettingjail inmates work in a home repair program run by his wife. Already under 24-hour protection, Brown's widow today turned inan application to carry a pistol.

"To be honest, I really don't know when I'll feel safe,"Phyllis Brown said.