Burrell Ellis Trial: Quick Review

Now that the trial of suspended DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis has begun, here are some of the events leading up to the trial.

• Burrell Ellis was elected as CEO of DeKalb County in 2008 after serving two terms on the DeKalb County Commission.  He was reelected in the summer of 2012.
• In early 2012, prior to his reelection, a special grand jury was convened by DeKalb district attorney Robert James to investigate possible racketeering, bribery and bid-rigging in the county’s watershed department. 
• On January 7, 2013, DeKalb police executed a search warrant at Ellis’ home and office, seizing files and computer equipment while Ellis was testifying before the grand jury.  Police also searched the office of Kevin Ross, Ellis’ former campaign manager.
• On June 18, 2013, a DeKalb County grand jury indicted Burrell Ellis on 15 felony counts of extortion, theft and conspiracy.  The indictment (PDF) laid out multiple instances in 2011 and 2012 of a pay-to-play scheme in which Ellis allegedly threatened current and prospective county contractors to contribute to his political campaign or lose their county contracts.
• In early July, Gov. Nathan Deal named a three-member panel to investigate whether Ellis should be suspended from his position as DeKalb CEO.  Such panels are required by Georgia law when a city or county officeholder is indicted.
• On July 15, 2013, the panel recommended that the governor suspend Burrell Ellis from his position as DeKalb County CEO.  The next day, Gov. Deal suspended Burrell Ellis and appointed DeKalb commission chairman Lee May as interim CEO.
• After various legal maneuvers to prevent its release, the special grand jury report on their investigation into alleged corruption in DeKalb County was finally released on August 22.  In addition to Ellis, the report named eleven others the grand jury suspected of having engaged in bid-rigging and unethical conduct. However, the grand jury recommended that only Ellis be indicted at this point, while calling for further investigation of the others.  We have posted the complete grand jury report online (PDF).
•  In January 2014 pretrial legal wrangling, attorneys for Ellis tried to get the case against their client thrown out of court.  They repeatedly attacked DeKalb district attorney Robert James for what they called illegal videotaping, accusing James of political motivations.  James took the stand to deny he did anything illegal. The pretrial hearings didn’t wrap up until April.
• In early May, the DeKalb Ethics Board decides to proceed with ethical investigations of Burrell Ellis and other DeKalb County officials.
• On Monday, September 8, jury selection begins in the trial of Burrell Ellis. 
• On Tuesday, September 16, the trial begins with lawyers for both sides giving their opening statements.