DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County administrator admitted on the stand that he lied under oath to a special grand jury about accepting gifts from vendors.
Kelvin Walton testified Tuesday against former DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis in Ellis' corruption case.
Ellis faces 13 different counts for alledgely shaking down vendors for campaign contributions.
Channel 2 Action News has two reporters in the courtroom for the trial which is now in its second week.
Kelvin Walton is on paid administrative leave as director of purchasing and contracts. He's also an unindicted conspirator in the case, agreeing to work undercover as a witness for the prosecution.
Walton testified that he approached three vendors to ask for money to help Ellis' secretary, Nina Hall, who was in personal financial trouble.
"I would like to apologize to the citizens of this county. I'd also like to apologize to my family and my staff," Walton said. "I've done a lot of things wrong and I take full responsibility. I just got caught up."
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Walton told jurors that he knew it was wrong, but it was not bribery. Walton said if they were bribes, he would not have had Hall write a thank-you note to the vendors.
Prosecutors asked Walton how they know he's telling the truth after lying to a grand jury.
"My reputation has been tarnished. I have nothing to lose," Walton. "I've done a lot of bad things and let a lot of people down, but I didn't do it by myself."
Walton testified that Ellis asked for lists of vendors holding large contracts so he could hit them up for campaign contributions.
"If you didn't agree with him, he would bully you to death," Walton said of Ellis.
Prosecutors played a secret tape between Ellis and Walton at the end of the day. In the recording, the two spend time discussing which vendors had already given Ellis money for his campaign. Walton said he then made sure payments to those vendors were fast tracked.
Walton and Hall are suspended from work at least through the end of the Ellis trial.
Stay with Channel 2 Action News and wsbtv.com for instant updates on the trial.