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DEL.ICIO.USCampbell had “human ATMs,” prosecutors say in closing
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While mayor of Atlanta, Bill Campbell led a secret life of high-stakes gambling and women paid for through illegal bribes by city contractors, prosecutors told jurors today during their closing arguments.
“’What’s in it for me?’ Those words, his own words show what governed his conduct as mayor, particularly in his second term,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Vineyard said of Campbell’s tenure, from 1994 through 2001.
About 100 spectators and attorneys crammed in the small courtroom to see the final chapter in the government’s public corruption case that took more than five years to investigate and seven weeks to present to a jury. On a large projection screen, prosecutors used flashy graphics, green dollar bills and gambling cards, along with phone and bank records and city documents to drive home their last arguments.
A key theme for prosecutors: follow the money.
Campbell withdrew just $69 in all of 1999 from his checking account even though he took several trips and often paid for expenses in cash, Vineyard said.
Campbell and one of his alleged mistresses, Martina Jimenez, took a trip to New Orleans from June 12-14, 1999. The next day, the mayor and his wife headed to the Bahamas. Campbell then returned and immediately headed to Myrtle Beach.
In July 1999, the mayor spent a few days with his wife and children in Puerto Rico. Four days later, he headed to Miami with Jimenez before jetting off to Paris with another long-term girlfriend, Marion Brooks, Vineyard told jurors. Both women testified that Campbell paid for hotels, meals and other expenses in cash, yet the mayor’s bank records show he didn’t withdraw even $1, Vineyard argued. In August, there were trips to Chicago, where Brooks works as a TV news anchor and to Memphis with Jimenez along with trips to Washington, D.C. and Raleigh.
That summer, the mayor’s longtime friend and golfing buddy, Dan DeBardelaben claims he gave the mayor about $50,000 in cash bribes from city contractor Sam Barber, who wanted a multi-million dollar Y2K contract with the city.
“The summer of 1999 is just a snapshot of how the mayor funded his secret life with corrupt payoffs,” Vineyard said. “He had human ATMs.”
DeBardelaben testified during the trial that in spring 1999, he asked Campbell about the Y2K project and the mayor responded: “What’s in it for me?” — which prompted the bribes. DeBardelaben, a loyal friend who supported all of Campbell’s campaigns as city councilman and mayor, initially didn’t want to testify against Campbell and would report back to Campbell after the FBI asked him questions. But he finally started telling the truth after he was court-ordered to testify under oath, prosecutors said.
On a large board near the jurors, prosecutors displayed an enlarged 1993 flier with a photo of a younger Campbell, still with thick hair and eyeglasses, and a written campaign promise to put the city’s interests first and not to abuse his power if he won his first election as mayor. Throughout their closing arguments, prosecutors periodically placed large photos cut into the shape of jumbo puzzle pieces into place over the campaign flier.
The photos were of Campbell and his former aide, Dewey Clark, and city contractors, including, Rickey Rowe, Fred Prewitt and Dan DeBardelaben – all of whom prosecutors say gave Campbell cash bribes.
With the photos locked into place, one corner of the puzzle was left blank.
Vineyard looked at the jurors and said: “Your verdict is the final piece of the puzzle … It will be the last word on what Bill Campbell did as mayor.”
Defense attorneys are now in the middle of their closing arguments. They spent five days calling defense witnesses, but not Campbell, who opted not to testify.
Campbell has publicly maintained his innocence and blames a few trusted underlings and friends with abusing his name and soliciting bribes themselves.
Campbell said DeBardelaben is a friend who turned on him only after being pressured by the IRS. Campbell’s attorneys say Clark, another key government witness, is a shady character who used the mayor’s name to line his own pockets.
Campbell has publicly said the cash he spent came from gambling winnings he didn’t keep track of or pay taxes on.
“That simply doesn’t add up,” prosecutor Phyllis Sumner told jurors during closing arguments.
Along with racketeering and bribery, Campbell is charged with filing false tax returns.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally Yates will have the last say, making a brief argument to the jury, since the government has the burden of proof.
The judge will give jurors instructions Thursday morning on what they should consider in reviewing the evidence and then deliberations are expected to begin.
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