Suspended CEO seeks ‘full vindication’

“I have done nothing wrong.”

Throughout his legal ordeal, suspended DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis has repeated that statement.
And that’s the message Ellis and his legal team will have for jurors during his corruption trial which began Sept. 8 in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson.

From the beginning of his legal woes that led to his suspension from the DeKalb County CEO’s position, Burrell Ellis has maintained his innocence.

On Jan. 7, 2013, just two business days after being sworn in to his second term in office, Ellis was appearing before a special grand jury looking into watershed management contracts.

It was Ellis’ second appearance before the grand jury, impaneled in January 2012.

While he was testifying, his home and office were being searched by investigators from the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. The investigators were looking for information that would prove a range of crimes, including racketeering, wire fraud, theft and bid-rigging.

During a news conference while investigators were still in his home, Ellis said he was given a copy of the search warrant when he finished his testimony.

The search warrant was “extraordinarily broad in scope, so I don’t know what they’re looking for,” said Ellis, adding that he did not know whether he was a target in the investigation.

“I haven’t done anything that I’m aware of and nor has my staff done anything that I’m aware of that is inappropriate,” Ellis said.

Although he said he was perplexed by the search warrant, Ellis said, “I’m not concerned given the fact that nothing’s wrong that I have done, nothing improper that I have done, nothing that I have to hide. We will be as forthcoming as we possibly can.”

In addition to Ellis’ home and office, searches were conducted at the office of former Ellis campaign manager Kevin Ross, the county’s information technology, purchasing and contracting, finance and elections offices.
Ten days later, Ellis had retained a defense team, including former DeKalb DA J. Tom Morgan; Craig Gillen, a defense attorney who specializes in trials involving racketeering and financial crimes; Anthony Lake; and former assistant DeKalb DA John Peachtree.

“I want to say emphatically that I have done nothing wrong,” Ellis told reporters as he introduced his legal team.

“Since this investigation began about a year ago, I have cooperated 100 percent in good faith with the District Attorney’s Office,” Ellis said. “Recent events, however, have caused me to question whether I am being dealt with in good faith.”

On June 18, 2013, nearly six months after Ellis’ home and office were searched by investigators from the DA’s Office, the CEO was indicted on 15 counts, including 14 felonies.

The indictment contained four counts of criminal attempt to commit theft by extortion; three counts of theft by taking; two counts of criminal attempt to commit false statements and writings; three counts of coercion of other employees to give anything of value for political purposes; two counts of conspiracy in restraint of free and open competition; and conspiracy to defraud a political subdivision.

According to the indictment, Ellis instructed county staff to compile contact lists of vendors with the county and then used that list to demand campaign contributions. If the vendor refused, Ellis allegedly threatened to end their contract with the county.

“As I’ve said from the very beginning, [I’ve] done nothing wrong and I would never, ever, ever do anything to violate the public trust,” said Ellis, after he turned himself in at the DeKalb County Jail, posted a $25,000 bond, was booked and released.

Nearly a week later, on June 24, 2013, Ellis addressed county workers and again denied any wrongdoing.
“I know the events of the last week caught everybody by surprise,” Ellis said, “but I want to say to you…what I’ve been saying all along: ‘First and foremost I have done nothing wrong.’

“Anybody who knows me or has objectively examined my record knows my character. I stand on that character, and I want you to know that and remain focused and be encouraged,” Ellis said.

“You have chosen a very difficult journey, you have chosen public service,” Ellis said. “We do it because it’s what we are called to do—to serve other people.”

For Ellis that service was halted on July 16, 2013, when Gov. Nathan Deal accepted the recommendation of a panel he formed and suspended Ellis from office.

“I agree with the bipartisan panel of elected officials that the allegations against Burrell Ellis directly relate to and adversely affect his ability to carry out his duties as DeKalb CEO,” Deal said.

In response Ellis said, “I will devote myself 100 percent toward defending myself against these unsubstantiated and unprecedented…charges” and added that he will “look forward to returning to office after the suspension period.”

Lee May, who was the presiding officer of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, was sworn in as interim CEO hours after Ellis’ suspension.

Ellis has rarely spoken publicly since his suspension, but in a December 2013 radio interview with former DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones on radio station WAOK, Ellis spoke of “full vindication.”

“I look forward to the day of returning to the office that they elected me to serve. I want to finish the job…that God called me to and that the people entrusted in me,” Ellis said. “There’s a dark cloud that remains over DeKalb County until that day when I return to office.”

It is unknown how long the Ellis trial will last.