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DEL.ICIO.USSides fight over allowing evidence
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the eve of former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell’s public corruption trial, his defense team fought in a courtroom Friday to block some of the government’s evidence.
The seven-count indictment alleges that Campbell, 52, managed City Hall between 1994 and 2002 as a criminal enterprise, and it accuses him of racketeering, accepting bribes and tax evasion. Campbell has pleaded not guilty.
Campbell’s attorneys and prosecutors spent Friday haggling over what evidence will reach jurors during the trial.
Giving in to the defense team, prosecutors agreed not to tell jurors during opening statements that Campbell solicited money to help pay for the criminal defense of corrupt former city official Larry Wallace.
Wallace, who was Campbell’s friend and chief operating officer, pleaded guilty in 2002 to bribery. Wallace was accused of accepting $56,000 from a businessman in exchange for his help in getting city business for a telecommunications firm.
During the trial, prosecutors will try to show that Campbell accepted bribes in the form of money and other favors in exchange for city contracts. For example, Campbell is accused taking a 1999 trip costing more than $12,900 to Paris with Wallace, a trip paid for by another company, United Water. The company had a 20-year contract to operate Atlanta’s water system. Prosecutors say Campbell later signed documents giving United Water an $80 million increase in the contract.
Yates told the judge she wants to show jurors newspaper articles that quoted Campbell denying signing the documents. Campbell’s attorneys objected and aren’t acknowledging that Campbell made the statements to reporters. The judge delayed ruling on whether to allow the articles.
Prosecutors also want to bring in a handwriting expert to testify the signature matches Campbell’s.
Yates said Campbell helped pay for Wallace’s defense so Wallace would keep quiet as federal investigators closed in on Campbell.
“Mr. Wallace to this day still is not cooperating with the government,� Yates told the judge Friday. “He still won’t tell what he knows.�
Jerry Froelich, one of Campbell’s attorneys, said Campbell helped Wallace with legal fees because the two have been friends since high school – not to silence Wallace.
Yates agreed not to tell jurors Monday that Campbell sought money from a man, who was not identified in court, to help pay legal fees for Wallace and Dan DeBardelaben, another figure in the federal investigation.
Campbell is charged with racketeering, in part, for allegedly soliciting more than $50,000 from computer contractors hoping for a deal to prepare the city’s computers for Y2K. In 1999, DeBardelaben, a golfing buddy of Campbell’s, asked the mayor about the Y2K computer contract. “What’s in it for me?� Campbell responded, the indictment alleges.
DeBardelaben then acted as a conduit for computer contractor Samuel J. Barber Jr., delivering to Campbell cash payments of $20,000, $25,000 and $10,000, prosecutors said. The company received a $1 million contract.
During Friday’s pretrial hearing, Campbell’s defense team also tried to stop prosecutors from presenting hearsay testimony against Campbell, including allegations that a contractor sent Campbell bribe money through Fred B. Prewitt, Campbell’s friend and chairman of the city’s Civil Service Board. Prewitt pleaded guilty in 2000 to filing false income tax reports on $583,380 paid to him by contractors seeking city work. He admitted he was a minority “front� for white-owned companies bidding for city business.
“There’s no one who can say Prewitt gave that money to Mayor Campbell and Prewitt denies it,� Martin argued.
No so, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Phyllis Sumner.
“There will be a witness who saw Mr. Prewitt give Mr. Campbell cash,� she told the judge.
Sumner didn’t name the witness or discuss details about the alleged bribe.� The judge said he will wait to decide on whether to allow the testimony.
Staff writer Mae Gentry contributed to this report
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