Defendants sought to bribe DeKalb commissioner, witness says

A witness in a public corruption trial testified Wednesday that the defendants talked about DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson as someone who could help get them work on the county’s $1.7 billion sewer overhaul project.

Richard Zahn, a developer from Florida, said the defendants asked him to pay Watson between $50,000 and $60,000 and buy box seats for an Atlanta Falcons game for former DeKalb Purchasing Director Kelvin Walton.

“Commissioner Watson is going to need some sort of incentive,” said Zahn, describing what defendants Jonathan Pinson and Eric Robinson told him following a lunch in Atlanta.

Watson has denied being involved in the case, and no evidence has been presented indicating that he accepted payments or gifts.

Zahn was testifying as a witness for the prosecution after previously pleading guilty.

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