Who testified today
Suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis’ defense team got to call witnesses on Wednesday in Ellis’ extortion case. Here’s who the defense team called.
Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
What he said: Young was on the stand briefly as a character witness. "His reputation has been very good," Young said.
Former DeKalb Chief Administrative Adviser Richard Stogner
What he said: Stogner, asked by prosecutors for his opinion on suspended DeKalb purchasing officer Kelvin Walton, who testified against Ellis said: "I trusted him. I think he's truthful." Later, on re-direct, Stogner testified he also trusted Ellis and said he "did not know" Walton had taken money from vendors.
Phillipa Ellis, Burrell Ellis’ spouse
What she said: Phillipa Ellis spoke to her husband's character, which she said was impeccable. She also described Ellis and Walton's relationship as "frat brother like." At the end of her testimony she said Walton demanded Ellis' time at odd hours and characterized Walton as needy.
Karen Williams, scheduler for Ellis
What she said: Williams testifies that Walton and Ellis had a "friendly" relationship. When asked if she worked in a "climate of fear," Williams replied, "Yes, with other co-workers. We had several bullies in the office. (Ellis) never bullied me."
“I never asked anything in exchange for a campaign contribution. I never promised anything.” - Burrell Ellis, suspended DeKalb CEO
“You start making phone calls to those folks. You reach out to people you know, and ask them to reach out to people they know. You ask people to contribute. You have to ask.” - Burrell Ellis, suspended DeKalb CEO
“I’m not going to allow this case to turn into a circus.” - Judge Courtney Johnson to Ellis’ defense team
“(Ellis’) reputation has been very good.” - Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
Complete coverage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution brings our readers the most comprehensive coverage of the Burrell Ellis trial on our premium website, MyAJC.com/ellistrial/.
On the site:
>Read the latest AJC stories and analysis about this case.
>Browse an interactive that identifies the key players in the trial.
>Watch reporter Watch reporter Mark Niesse’s video about the case and what’s at stake for residents.
>Review what star witness Kelvin Walton said during his testimony.
>Read court documents and review a timeline of the corruption probe.
DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis, one of metro Atlanta’s most powerful leaders, finally told jurors and the public his side of the story Wednesday, testifying in his corruption trial that he never retaliated against county contractors who refused to give campaign contributions.
Ellis explained that he didn’t care about the campaign money, but that he had concerns about customer service from contractors who wouldn’t return his phone calls or hung up on him.
“Imagine how you would feel if you called a customer who hung up on you,” Ellis told the jury. “I think it’s rude. I think it’s improper. I think it violates the standards of customer service we were trying to promote as a county and that I was trying to promote as the CEO.”
By testifying in his own defense, Ellis took his fate into his hands by trying to show there was a reasonable explanation for his treatment of contractors. Until now, jurors had heard more than two weeks of testimony — and secretly recorded conversations — that suggested Ellis used his office to bully vendors.
Ellis, the suspended leader of a county of 713,000 residents, is fighting extortion and bribery charges over accusations that he threatened to pull government business from companies unless they donated to his $1.5 million 2012 re-election campaign. His corruption trial is the largest in metro Atlanta since Bill Campbell was convicted on three counts of tax evasion in 2006. Campbell was acquitted on seven counts of racketeering and bribery.
Ellis presented himself as a church-going family man, the happily married father of twins who had the best interests of DeKalb County at heart.
“The rules are the rules, and we follow them,” Ellis said during four hours on the witness stand. “You should never be in public office to personally enrich yourself, but you should be in public office to make a difference.”
Ellis spoke directly to jurors in response to questions from his attorney, appealing to them as a reasonable professional who separated the unpleasant work of political fundraising from his job running the county government.
As DeKalb District Attorney Robert James repeatedly objected when Ellis’ testimony went off-topic, Ellis appeared to grow more serious than when he began testifying. In most cases, Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson ruled against Ellis and told him to give direct answers to questions.
“I am not going to allow this case to turn into a circus,” Johnson said.
Ellis provided justifications for his treatment of four businesses he allegedly shook down for campaign contributions.
In the case of Power and Energy Services, which had a contract worth up to $250,000 for generator maintenance, Ellis said the company’s president was dishonest and evasive with him during a phone conversation about political contributions. The company president, Brandon Cummings, wouldn’t initially tell Ellis what his position with the company was, and he questioned why he should donate.
“He’s lying to me. I see a lot of problems with that,” Ellis said. “Even though I may have been calling him for a campaign contribution, if I learn in the process of calling somebody on a campaign contribution call that might … (impact) delivery of services, I have a responsibility to do something about it.”
Power and Energy Services stopped getting work from DeKalb County after those discussions. Cummings testified earlier that he felt threatened by Ellis over his refusal to contribute.
After a dispute with another company, National Property Institute, Ellis said its co-owner convinced him that they were responsible, and he decided not to take any action involving the company’s $1 million contract to rehab foreclosed homes.
It was after Ellis was already satisfied with the company that it decided to give him a $2,500 donation, he said. NPI’s owner has testified that he believed he had to make the contribution to keep the contract.
With technology services contractor Ciber, Ellis denied threatening a company representative during a campaign call.
As for Merrell Bros., a waste disposal firm awarded a $4 million contract, Ellis acknowledged asking the company to raise $25,000 for his campaign, but he said it was allowable to request that contractors solicit political funds from their business associates, and he wouldn’t ask an individual to donate more than the $2,500 maximum. His pursuit of the $25,000 contribution is the basis of a bribery charge.
Other witnesses Wednesday included Ellis’ wife, Philippa, and former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Both said he was an honest man.
“His reputation has been very good,” Young said.
Ellis will continue testifying Thursday, and he will likely face a fierce cross-examination from James, who as district attorney has pursued this case for more than two years.
Closing arguments are tentatively scheduled for Monday, and then the jury would begin deliberating.
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