Defense gets its turn in DeKalb CEO Ellis’ corruption trial
Notes from the Burrell Ellis trial: Day 7 of testimony
The prosecution rested its case Wednesday afternoon, and the defense called its first witness. Ellis is charged with nine counts of extortion, bribery and perjury for allegedly strong-arming vendors into giving to his 2012 re-election campaign and for lying about his role in awarding county contracts when he testified before a special purpose grand jury.
This is Ellis’ second trial on these charges. Last fall, the first one ended in a mistrial because jurors could not agree on a verdict after 11 days of deliberations.
In court Wednesday:
•Clay Nix, former investigator for DeKalb's District Attorney's Office, was called for a second time to go over documents seized in a raid on Ellis' house more than two years ago. Nix said investigators took notebooks in which Ellis kept meticulous notes about solicitation calls to vendors.
•Edward O'Brien, former DeKalb County fire chief, testified that he met with Ellis about the on-going process of finding an ambulance service to handle all calls in the county. O'Brien was called to support the charge that Ellis lied in his grand jury testimony when asked if he got involved in county contracting. O'Brian, chairman of the evaluation committee reviewing proposals, testified that he met with Ellis to discuss changes one vendor wanted to make to a project that had not yet been awarded. County officials are not allowed to speak to prospective vendors while their proposals are pending. Yet, according, to O'Brien, Ellis did. O'Brien said Ellis told him that Rural Metro Ambulance Service wanted to charge DeKalb $2,400 per run. That was information that had not yet been given to O'Brien or the rest of the evaluation committee.
•Jimmy Davis, member of special purpose grand jury investigating corruption, was called for fifth time to testify. Prosecutors played clips from Ellis' testimony in January 2012 when he testified he had no role in county's contracting process. "I don't get involved in who gets work and who doesn't get work. I don't make the call," Ellis said during his grand jury testimony. Prosecutors say those were lies.
•Congressman Hank Johnson, who represents much of DeKalb County, was the first defense witness called. Johnson, a character witness, said he had known Ellis professionally and personally for 20 to 25 years. "Burrell is a loyal friend and an honest public servant," Johnson testified. After Johnson had left the courtroom, however, Judge Courtney Johnson told the defense team to discourage their witnesses from shaking hands with Ellis or hugging family members as Johnson did after testifying.
Coming up:
Ellis will testify in his own defense.
