DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis calls court decision a victory

A grateful DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis says faith in God and support from his family helped him persevere until the Georgia Supreme Court overturned his convictions.

Ellis, appearing with his wife Philippa at a press conference Thursday, said he's grateful to live in a country that protects civil liberties.

“Yesterday’s unanimous decision by the state Supreme Court was not only a victory for my family and me, but for all of God’s children who thirst for justice and righteousness,” Ellis said. “It’s a victory for those who long for the fulfillment of the prophesy that justice might roll down like water and righteousness like and ever-flowing stream.”

The state's highest court threw out Ellis' convictions for attempted extortion and perjury. He already served an eight-month prison sentence.

A jury found Ellis guilty of trying to shake down a contractor for campaign contributions, but Ellis won his appeal. The court decided that Ellis didn't receive a fair trial, in part because a judge didn't allow him to solicit testimony from county contractors who didn't feel pressured to make political donations.

The charges against Ellis haven’t been dismissed, and incoming DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston will have to decide whether to move forward with the case.