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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Campbell witness stands by claims of payoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Defense attorney Jerry Froelich hammered at him, but — after an hour-and-a-half of cross-examination Tuesday morning — Dewey Clark, a key witness in the federal government’s corruption trial against former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell, held his ground.
Clark, who sobbed as testified Monday that he was so close to Bill Campbell that he felt like a member of the mayor’s family, showed a different face and composure Tuesday on the stand. At times he was defiant as he testified he was the bagman for Campbell, delivering to the mayor thousands of dollars in bribes.
Froelich, who last week lacerated prosecution witness Michael Sullivan on the stand, couldn’t’ shake Clark’s story that he was the go-between who took cash from a city contractor, George Greene, and a night club owner, Michael Childs, and gave it to Campbell.
Clark was Campbell’s personal assistant at City Hall and lived in the basement apartment of the mayor’s home in Inman Park. He testified that he took bribes from Childs to pass to the mayor so that the mayor would get Childs a liquor license for a night club he planned to open.
At one point, Clark testified that some members of the liquor board had also been bribed by Childs. That prompted Froelich to ask Clark why, then, was Childs never given the liquor license by the mayor “after you have the mayor in your pocket, and the license board in your pocket?�
Clark responded: “I never had the mayor in my pocket. The mayor had me in his pocket. He controlled me.�
Froelich questioned Clark at length about coaching he may have received from federal prosecutors whom Clark confirmed he has met with four times in the last two weeks, for a total of about 16 hours. Clark said he did not recall prosecutors showing him documents during these sessions, and he said prosecutors did not show him statements he had made earlier.
Sounding almost exasperated Froelich said to Clark: “They told you there were conflicting statements, but they don’t tell you and don’t show you what they are?â€?
“No,� said Clark.
Froelich suggested that the government may have paid Clark to testify. Clark testified the only money he was given by the government was to cover his travel and food expenses as a witness.
The defense has, as a part of its strategy, and in its opening statement before the jury, talked about Campbell’s career as a civil rights activist and, as a child, Campbell’s integration of public schools in Raleigh, N.C.
Froelich asked Clark: “Did you know about him integrating a public school?�
Clark responded sharply: “I integrated my school, too. But I knew about that.�
Froelich introduced evidence of a long string of checks that were written to Clark by George Greene, who owned Sable Communications, which had a contract with the city. Clark described Greene as a friend who “felt sorry� for Clark because he had little money, and gave him money.
“Most of the checks were for my personal use,� Clark said. “One or two were for the mayor.�
Froelich tried repeatedly, and seemingly unsuccessfully, to catch Clark in a lie, and, on at least one point, Clark turned the cross-examination back on the lawyer when Froelich showed Clark a $1,000 check written to Clark from Sable Communications. Written on the check was the word: “Software.�
Froelich: “That wasn’t for software was it?â€?
Clark: “No.�
Froelich: “That’s a lie.â€?
Clark: “Is it my lie?â€?
Froelich: “You took the check.�
Clark: “I didn’t write software on it.â€?
Clark elaborated on his direct testimony regarding the amount of money he claims he channeled from Childs to Campbell, estimating it totaled “at least $50,000,� and was delivered by him, in cash, in 10 or 12 different bribes.
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Witness: Payoffs at odds with council vote
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The corruption trial of former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell was briefly halted today after a female juror with health problems became sick and had to be wheeled from the courthouse in a wheelchair. She later returned to the jury.
It’s yet another unexpected incident in a case already full of twists that began even before the jurors who chosen. During jury selection, a man was tossed from the jury pool for reading a newspaper article on the case even though he knew the judge told him not to. Rain and heavy traffic caused some jurors and the judge to be late during the first week of trial. Jurors were stuck inside a stuffy elevator for about 30 minutes Friday, sending two to the infirmary and shutting down the trial three hours early.
And on Monday, former mayoral aide Dewey Clark, a key government witness, broke down several times in shrill uncontrollable sobs as he testified against Campbell, whom he said he still loves. During the testimony, a court security officer escorted an elderly Campbell supporter from the courtroom Monday after her loud scoffs throughout the room and an angry man decided to leave on his own as he mumbled expletives.
U.S. District Judge Richard Story has expressed frustration at the disruptions – and the six-week trial is only in its second week.
The juror became ill today as Clark continued his testimony about what prosecutors contend was Campbell’s abuse of power.
Clark told jurors that Campbell was determined to keep his control over the city policy makers. He had a group of council members who typically voted his way and were dubbed “the nod squad.�
“He told me he had a 7-6 edge on the City Council,� Clark testified.
“He could not afford to lose [then-Councilman] Derrick Boazman’s vote.�
But a problem arose when a strip club owner who gave a kickback to Campbell was at odds with Boazman, Clark testified.
Michael Childs, who owned two strip joints, Club Nikki and Gentleman’s Club, wanted a liquor license to open a third club called Strawberries. Childs was already paying rent on the vacant building and paid thousands to the mayor to push through approval on the liquor license, Clark told jurors.
But Boazman was an avid opponent of Strawberries and didn’t want to renew Childs’ liquor license at Club Nikki after a fatal shooting in 1997 outside the strip club on New Year’s Eve.
The mayor was in a bind. He had promised to reward Childs, who had channeled cash from Childs to Campbell 10 to 12 times in 1997 and 1998, Clark said. The payments were “nothing smaller than $2,500” and up to $10,000, Clark said.
But Campbell didn’t want his power to slip so he ultimately opted to appease Boazman.
Clark testified that the mayor told him: “Tell Michael that if he does not withdraw his application for Strawberries, I’m going to close down Nikki and Gentleman’s. Don’t ‘f’ with me because I am God.â€?
Defense attorney Jerry Froelich has said that Clark can’t be trusted as a witness and likely used the mayor’s name without Campbell’s consent to solicit bribes from various people who wanted to do business with the city.
Froelich is expected to put Clark under fire during cross examination this afternoon.
Permalink | | Categories: Bill Campbell trial
Testimony halted for sick juror
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a federal corruption case that has included jurors stuck in an elevator, a sobbing witness and two outbursts from spectators, a new one can now be added: Stopping testimony because of a sick juror.
Former Bill Campbell aide Dewey Clark was on the stand this morning, during the second day of questioning by the prosecution when the female juror got sick. A brief recess was called while the juror was wheeled out of the courtroom in a wheelchair.
Permalink | | Categories: Bill Campbell trial
Judge: ‘I will not have’ disruptions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The federal corruption trial of former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, now in its third week, will resume today with courtroom spectators forewarned that the judge in the case will not tolerate outbursts.
When prosecution witness Dewey Clark took the stand Monday to testify about how he funneled thousands of dollars to Campbell from business people seeking favors from the former mayor, Campbell supporters in the courtroom expressed their outrage with scoffs and at least one person with profanity.
A small group of supporters has visited the courtroom nearly every day since the trial began.
“This is [expletive],� said one spectator before leaving from the 21st-floor courtroom of the Richard B. Russell Federal Building. A woman also was removed from the courtroom.
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Story paused testimony and issued a warning:
“There is a line over which you cannot cross,� Story told the crowd. “You are disrupting this trial and disturbing these jurors. And I will not have it.�
The judge Monday even warned a defense attorney who interjected that Clark’s bouts of sobbing during his testimony was “an act.�
“Don’t interrupt me,� the judge, with his finger raised, told defense attorney Jerry Froelich.
Clark is expected back on the stand today, and the defense is expected to grill him on his testiomony so far.
Campbell, 52, is charged with seven criminal counts, including racketeering, bribery and income tax evasion. He has pleaded not guilty.
While he was on the stand Monday, Clark, who, among other things, kept appointments for the former mayor and did banking for him, avoided looking at his former boss. Campbell, however, stared at him.
Permalink | | Categories: Bill Campbell trial
