(Atlanta, GA) -

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Coz Carson, Communications Dir.

(404) 633-0927 (404) 783-6059 cozcarson@gmail.com

Friday May 12th. 2006

Congresswoman McKinney joined today with the family Sheriff elect Derwin Brown to call on Governor Sonny Purdue to make available state funding as compensation to the Brown family.  Sheriff - elect Brown was gunned down outside his home in December 2000. The murder of was planned and carried out by outgoing Sheriff Sidney Dorsey. Dorsey and two other DeKalb County Sheriff's employees were convicted for their part in the assassination. The family is continuing to fight for justice in this matter.

Congresswoman McKinney also sent a letter to Ga. Governor Sonny Purdue asking him to make the Brown family whole by compensating them for their loss.

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May 12, 2006

Governor Sonny Perdue  

203Georgia State Capitol

Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Dear Mr. Governor:

I am not pleased to have to make this plea on behalf of Mrs. Derwin

Brown, but I am proud to stand with her and her family at any time.

Mrs. Brown is a constituent and she is my friend.  As you may recall,

her husband was elected by the people of DeKalb County to serve as

their Sheriff.  But the day before he was to be sworn in as the

Sheriff, he was murdered in the driveway of his home.  And on behalf

of his memory, and the Derwin Brown family, I now appeal to you for

help.

Through no fault of her own, Mrs. Brown has lost her soul mate and

best friend, the father of her children, the head of her family.

Through no fault of her own, Mrs. Brown now has to walk her walk

through life's path all alone.  Her children have to experience life's

ups and downs without their father's counsel.  And she has to watch

that.

And while we extend our hearts to this family that has suffered such

an unthinkable tragedy, there must be something wrong with the fact

that a public servant who is taken away from us in such a tragic way

would have no public provisions made for his survivors.  We will never

know what the Brown family has had to endure since the tv cameras left

and the sympathetic crowds dissipated.  Derwin's family is bleeding in

a thousand cuts of insensitivity and unaccountability.

Can't you do something to help Derwin Brown's family?

Mr. Governor, the Georgia Courts have spoken.  The ball is now in the

hands of the State, according to the majority on the Court.  And

therefore, this appeal to you is appropriate.

I am asking that you do something, in terms of financial assistance to

the Derwin Brown family, to help make us all whole again after

experiencing such a profound tragedy.

Sincerely,

Cynthia McKinney

Member of Congress