Retrial set for DeKalb CEO Ellis
Suspended DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis will face a retrial on June 1, according to an order by Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson.
Ellis’ first case ended in a mistrial in October when a jury couldn’t reach a unanimous decision on any of the 13 counts against him.
Prosecutors have accused Ellis of shaking down county contractors for campaign contributions. Ellis has denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.
No action had been taken in the case since Johnson declared the mistrial until she ordered new proceedings Tuesday.
Ellis faces charges of extortion, theft, bribery and perjury.
During his trial, a jury came close to reaching a verdict on three of the counts against him.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
