When sheriffs go wrong

摘要

It is a cinematic cliche: the swaggering, untouchable sheriff, gouging local businessmen, shooting people down, lording it over convicts. But in DeKalb County, in Georgia, it is not just a figment of the silver screen. All the past five sheriffs of this suburban county near Atlanta have been accused of corruption or abuse of office. Two of them have killed people outside the line of duty. A sheriff-elect, who promised to clean up things, has himself been killed. Now DeKalb must elect a new sheriff, in a special election on March 20th. Eight candidates have put their names forward, including several would-be teformers. None of them seems likely to succeed in cleaning up the sheriff's office.