Campbell trial turns to signature evidence

Campbell, of course, claims they're not.

The documents are letters approving as much as $80 million worth of city money for United Water.

The government contends that the the former mayor issued the letters after United Water spent $9,000 on a hotel suite and limousine service during a trip to Paris. 

A trip where Mr. Campbell met up with his then mistress, former Atlanta television news anchor, Marion Brooks.

Testimony from handwriting expert Dave Moore indicated that while he found variations in the signatures, also found similarities.

When Campbell defense attorney asked Moore if he was told if "other people" were writing the mayor's signature, Moore replied that he didn't recall.

FBI agent Mike Grant used a series of documents to show how Prewitt paid for air fair and hotel rooms for the former mayor's gambling trips.

But Prewitt later told the FBI that Campbell always reimbursed him for the travel expenses.

Government prosecutors then used phone records to show that Prewitt made a call to Campbell's office at City Hall and discussed a $400,000 illegal payment. 

But Campbell's attorney's used the government's own travel records to prove that Campbell was not in his office at the time of the call.  He was actually in New Jersey.

Prewitt eventually plead guilty to providing false information to a federal grand jury.

Former Atlanta television anchor Marion Brooks took the stand on Wednesday afternoon.

She testified that she had a five year relationship with Campbell, often meeting and staying in hotel rooms out of town.

One trip came after United Water won a $21 million contract to run the water system for Atlanta.

The company invited Campbell to visit its European headquarters.

United Water executives testified that they spent $4,500 on Campbell’s hotel suite and another $4,500 for a limousine.

Witnesses told the jury that Campbell missed a scheduled tour of their waste water treatment plant and, during the four-day trip, spent two-and-a-half hours talking business over lunch.

Federal prosecutors say Campbell should have disclosed the trip to the public, but didn’t.

Furthermore, the government is trying to show a pattern of Mr. Campbell using cash when paying for his travel.  Cash, they say, which came from bribes from contractors trying to illegally obtain city contracts.

When the federal prosecutor asked Ms. Brooks how he paid for hotel rooms and other expenses, she said: "Cash."

"He always had cash," she said.  Brooks then testified that ona trip to San Francisco, Campbell used cash to buy her a $2,500 coat.

She also testified that when she met Campbell in Paris for several days, not only did they pay for all their expenses with cash, he even bought her gifts including two paintings in cash as well.

Former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell apologized to his wife Thursday. He specifically apologized about taking a trip to Paris with another woman.

Campbell's wife of 28 years, Sharon, was not in the courtroom during Ms. Brooks' testimony.

The trial is set to take Friday off, and will resume on Monday.


ATLANTA - A former secretary of then Mayor Bill Campbell testified today that she overheard a conversation between Mr. Campbell and Dewey Clark - his former aide.

According to the secretary, she overheard that Mr. Clark had acted as a bagman for Mr. Campbell and collected $50,000 from a nightclub owner for illegally securing a liquor license.

She stated that in the conversation that took place in the kitchen suite at City Hall, Mr. Clark was concerned because the money was collected but the liquor license had never been issued.

Testimony was briefly interrupted to remove a spectator, 31 year old Paul Debnam of Roswell, who allegedly made a gesture to federal witness Dewey Clark. 

The alleged gesture suggested someones throat being cut.  Mr. Debnam was later released after writing a letter of apology to the court.


Former Campbell Aide Testifies He Funneled Cash To His Boss

The prosecution's testimony in the federal corruption trial of former mayor Bill Campbell focused on an aide that allegedly funneled money to the mayor.

He claims that the money was later used for gambling and taking female companions on trips.

Dewey Clark, the former mayor's aide who lived in the mayors house at the time, was hired when Mr. Campbell became mayor in 1994. 

He was the first witness to testify that they observed money being funneled to the mayor from businessmen with special interests. 

Mr. Clark testified that he personally funneled money from city contractor George Greene and Michael Childs.

Michael Childs is owner and operator of Club Nikki on Metropolitan Parkway and the Gentleman's Club in downtown Atlanta, both of which are all nude strip clubs.

Mr. Clark is expected to take the stand today for cross examination by Bill Campbell's defense team.


Request for mistrial denied during 3rd day of testimony in Campbell trial

The third day of the corruption trial for former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell began with testimony from Lee Morris, a former city of Atlanta councilman.

Mr. Morris claims to have a long history of characterizing the mayors behavior in office as "scandalous". 

He stated that he had used that term so often to the press that he began regularly referring to the mayors actions as the "scandal du juor".

On the stand Friday morning - he did so one more causing an uproar.  This prompted the defense team to not only object vehemently to the characterization, and demand a mistrial. 

Federal judge presiding over the case, Jurist Richard Story, denied the defenses motion and ordered Morris to stay away from off handed comments.

Judge Story also admonished Campbell about his public comments.  The judge was referring to Campbell publicly questioning the credibility of government witnesses.

Later Friday morning, on their way to lunch, 12 of the trials' jurors became trapped in the elevator in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Downtown Atlanta for more than a half hour.

With that, his honor felt it was a good time to wrap up proceedings for the week and resume the trial Monday morning.

Former mayor's defense team argues to exclude testimony of legal activity

Bill Campbell's defense team argued passionately for almost a half hour to Judge Story outside the jury's presence that his ruling to allow legal activity on the former mayor's behalf is "highly prejudicial".

Federal prosecution, lead by Sally Yates, is introducing testimony about legal activity made by Mr. Campbell such as participation in things such as negotiations with companies that were trying to do business with the city.

Judge Story ruled that such evidence is admissible because it shows that the former mayor had personal involvement in city contracts on a regular basis.  Access is an element of the crime Mr. Campbell is accused of.

Witness testimony today indicated that the former mayor considered blind loyalty to be far more vital than qualifications and competency on the job.

Further testimony suggested that the mayor showed favoritism towards companies owned by personal friends when city contracts were awarded to contractors.