The story so far
A DeKalb County grand jury indicted CEO Burrell Ellis on 15 criminal counts on June 18, 14 of them felonies. The charges include theft, conspiracy and extortion mainly related to campaign donations sought from companies that do business with the county. Ellis has yet to enter a plea, but has publicly and strongly disputed the allegations. State law requires the governor to name a three-person panel to review the charges whenever an official is indicted while serving in office. The panel will hold a public hearing Monday morning. If it recommends suspension, Gov. Nathan Deal will have final say.
The panel that will help decide if Burrell Ellis can remain DeKalb County’s CEO as he fights 14 felony counts could make their recommendation as early as hours after the Monday morning hearing.
The hearing before Rockdale CEO Richard Oden, Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens and Clayton Commission Chairman Jeffrey Turner is expected to be over by afternoon, a spokeswoman in Olens’ office said.
The three would then deliberate whether the charges of theft, extortion and conspiracy against Ellis interfere with his ability to run daily operations in Georgia’s third-largest county.
“They usually make recommendations to the governor fairly quickly,” AG spokeswoman Lauren Kane said of similar review panels. “Then it’s in the governor’s hands.”
Gov. Nathan Deal had not decided Friday on how quickly he would release the recommendations or act if the panel calls for suspension, a spokesman said. The panel’s recommendations would remain sealed until he discloses them. Deal would decide on suspension only if the panel recommends removal. A recommendation against suspension ends the process.
Legal watchers have said they expect the panel to recommend suspension because the accusations directly relate to his office. However, a muscular defense and Deal’s stated reluctance to get involved in local matters - and now a tighter time frame - add emphasis to what unfolds at the hearing.
It was already expected be the first big effort by Ellis and his legal team to battle the charges that he ordered county staff to compile a list of vendors who did work with DeKalb so he could call them for campaign donations, threatening those who declined with the loss of work.
Craig Gillen, Ellis’ lead attorney, said Friday that lawyers would work on their presentation through the weekend. He would not address previous comments from another Ellis attorney about bringing witnesses to the session.
DeKalb District Attorney Robert James, who brought the indictment against Ellis, also has the right to present his case at the hearing.
Through a spokesman, James declined to say whether he would attend.
If suspended, Ellis will continue to draw his $150,000 salary. He would be able to return to the CEO’s post if he is not convicted.
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