DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that suspended DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis could be taking back his position as early as Monday.
The Georgia Supreme Court overturned Ellis’ conviction late last month.
Ellis' first trial ended in a mistrial in 2014. Then prosecutors tried again in 2015 and a jury convicted Ellis of perjury for lying to a special purpose grand jury and of attempted extortion for meddling with a vendor's contract after that vendor refused to give him a campaign contribution.
In a memo obtained by Channel 2 Action News to interim CEO Lee May and the members of the DeKalb County Commission, the county’s attorney said “The state suspension statute provides that a suspended county official shall be immediately reinstated to his office if his conviction in overturned as a result of an appeal.”
The memo goes on to say, “by operation of law, Mr. Ellis will be immediately reinstated as Chief Executive Officer” once all the proper paperwork is filed within the court system, “which could be as early as this coming Monday, December 12, 2016.”
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With three weeks left in his four-year term, Ellis could retake control of a county government with a $1.38 billion budget and more than 6,000 employees.
Newly elected CEO Mike Thurmond will take over in January. Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May will leave office when Ellis is reinstated.
Dekalb County spokesman Andrew Cauthen sent Channel 2 Action News a statement, saying:
“Upon reinstatement, Mr. Ellis will be entitled to receive any compensation that was withheld during his suspension,” the memo said.
Ellis has been withheld since a jury found him guilty in July 2015. With an annual salary of $157,000, Ellis could be owed more than $220,000.
“Once the Ga. Supreme Court delivers the case documents to Dekalb Superior Court, Mr. Ellis will immediately return as CEO and Dekalb County happily welcomes him back.”
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Ellis and his attorney, but so far we have not heard back from them.
Ellis hasn’t spoken about his future and declined to respond to questions at a news conference Dec. 1.
“I am grateful to live in a country that was founded upon fundamental beliefs and protection of civil liberties and trust in God,” Ellis said as he read prepared remarks at the press conference.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this article.
Cox Media Group
