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By Ty Tagami and Rhonda Cook
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
8:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Crawford Lewis, the former superintendent of DeKalb County schools, lied to investigators in an effort to cover up a corruption conspiracy involving the management of more than $80 million in taxpayer money, says a new indictment issued Tuesday.
A DeKalb grand jury issued what is called a superseding indictment against Lewis, his former chief operating officer Pat Pope (now Pat Reid) and her former husband Tony Pope. It replaces the indictment handed down against the three in 2010.
The difference this time is that Pat Pope's former secretary Cointa Moody has been dropped from the case and Moody will testify for the prosecution, District Attorney Robert James said Tuesday. The new indictment, James said, paints Lewis in a worse light.
"We believe that some of the charges are more serious because we're talking about things like bribery, we're talking about things like cover up."
Lewis, Reid, Moody and Pope all pleaded not guilty to charges that allege the three engaged in a criminal conspiracy involving the DeKalb school districts construction fund. The four violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, according to the indictment, and evidence exists of theft by a government employee, bribery and falsifying a public document.
Prosecutors say Reid steered multimillion-dollar school construction projects to her then-husband's architecture firm and select vendors. In exchange, Reid, Lewis and Moody received cash, sports tickets or other perks.
The new indictment reflects much of the original case, but was enhanced with new details. In one example, the indictment says plainly that Lewis and Reid used tickets to sporting events while believing that "the giving of said thing would influence the awarding of contracts by the DeKalb County School System."
The new indictment includes new evidence supporting the racketeering allegation – emails concerning Hawks basketball tickets, letters about Falcons football tickets and an invoice and check to coverPope’s legal fees. It also notes that in late 2008 Lewis said in a meeting with other school officials in his office that Reid had tried to blackmail him. He later gave her a new contract and pay raise, but denied to investigators that she had tried to blackmail him.
The indictment says that Reid told Lewis "that she knew things about him which would damage him and she would tell everyone if the investigation did not stop." Lewis later tried to get then District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming to "table" the investigation into Pat Pope, the indictment says.
"It enhances the alleged role of Dr. Lewis in the case," James said.
The indictment also notes a recommendation from an outside attorney working for the school system, who recommended against a financial review of the money involved. The attorney told Lewis in late 2009 that he should put off an audit of the school construction fund until a lawsuit with the former construction manager was over.
The DeKalb school district declined to comment through its spokesman Walter Woods.
Prosecutors began telling defense attorneys months ago that the initial indictment might be replaced.
"We had been notified that a changed indictment would supersede [the initial indictment] and that there would be additional charges," said John Petrey, who is one of Tony Pope’s attorneys. "I have not reviewed the indictment. I assume we’ll be filing new motions as to the legitimacy of the charges."
Tony Axum, who is representing Reid, said he also had been told a new indictment was likely. Efforts to reach Lewis and his attorney were unsuccessful.
. The indictment shows hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of construction change orders and increases in Tony Pope's bills to the school system. The trio is charged with racketeering, a complicated charge that will require prosecutors show that a pattern of crimes – such as theft and tampering with evidence – as part of a criminal enterprise. Lewis and Reid are also charged with theft and bribery.
Moody, who was originally charged with racketeering and theft, could not be reached for comment. . James made it clear that her cooperation will play a pivotal role in the case.
"We expect that she's going to be truthful and forthcoming and cooperative with us," James said.
Dropping the charges against Moody would give her more credibility if she testifies against the others, said veteran defense attorney Steve Sadow.
The initial indictment tied her to the suspected operation with charges involving overtime she claimed and the times she notarized Tony Pope’s pay applications.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors are to be in court next Wednesday to discuss schedules. It is not known if the superseding indictment will change that. James said he didn't know when the case might go to trial.
Timeline of events (with GTCO-ATL timeline of events added in red) (generic dates in blue)
2008: School officials begin an investigation into misuse of school construction money.
February 2010: Former Superintendent Crawford Lewis is placed on suspension.
April 2010: Lewis is fired and, a month later, he and three others, including former chief operating officer Patricia Reid (formerly Patricia Pope), were indicted on charges they ran a criminal enterprise involving more than $80 million of the district's construction funds. Deputy Superintendent Ramona Tyson is named interim superintendent.
(He stepped down, was not fired.)
May 2010 - School is out for Summer.
June 2010: Lewis, Reid, Moody and Pope all pleaded not guilty
August 2010 - School is back in session.
August 2010: Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker dismissed Lewis' lawyer because his firm, Alston and Bird LLP, also represents the employer of a witness for the state in the school corruption case.
August 2010: Steve Donahue reports to Budget, Audit, Facilities Committee that he has three bids for cell towers as requested. Paul Womack chairs the committee. Gene Walker is the vice-chair. Cunningham and McChestney are present. Interim Superintendent Tyson not listed in the minutes as having been present, but is listed as person who will review and come back with recommendation in Oct. 2010. T-mobile listed by name as one of the three. They have looked at sites and have a 24-month plan. Donahue states the intent of the request is to look for "alternate revenue streams."
October 2010 - PTA District Meeting. Some PTA officers later admit to having learned about cell tower proposal.
Oct. 2010 - Steve Donahue reports back to the Budget Committee. No minutes are available.
May 2011 - Memo goes home from school about cell towers, right before school is out for the summer.
May 2011 - School's out for Summer
May 30, 2011 - World Health Organization announced upgrade of cell tower radiation to possible carcinigen.
June 2011 - Board plans to vote for 12 cell towers on consent agenda. Item is pulled for "legal reasons" right before the meeting begins.
July 2011 - Board discusses and then votes on cell towers. Approved for all except three schools.
July 12, 2011 - Memo of approval signed by Interim Super. Tyson regarding cell towers.
August 2011 - School back in session.
November 2011: A state appeals court ruled Lewis will get to keep his lead attorney, ending a portion of the case that had caused more than a year's delay
November 2011 - E-SPLOST passes.
Dec. 2011 - 6 of 9 contracts signed by Sup. Atkinson for cell towers.
Jan. 12, 2012 - End of first due diligence period for cell towers based on start date of Tyson memo.
Feb. 2012 - Grand jury recommended to investigate the school board, DA says not necessary
May 2012 - Additional charges against Lewis
May 2012 - Special grand jury recommended again to investigate the school board, DA says OK
July 12, 2012 - End of second due diligence period for cell towers based on start date of Tyson memo. Construction of towers expected to begin: July 13, 2012 or later.
July 30, 2012 - Primary Election to include cell tower question and election of some school board members.
The Accused
Craword Lewis: former DeKalb schools superintendent. Accused of accepting sports tickets, cash and other perks in exchange for steering business to favored contractors
Patricia Reid: former DeKalb schools CFO accused of helping to steer business to her husband's construction firm.
Tony Pope: Is accused of conspiring with Lewis and Reid, his ex-wife, to steer DeKalb construction contracts to his construction firm
No longer accused:
Cointa Moody. Reid's former secretary. Originally charged with racketeering and theft. Will now serve as a witness for the prosecutino.
Find this article at:
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/grand-jury-issues-new-1429402.html
And, in District 8... we know, we know, you didn't think there was going to be a District 8, right? Well, apparently the Superdistricts still exist because Dr. Eugene Walker is now the board's chairman and he hasn't finished updating his resume, yet. So, as we were saying... District 8's Dr. Pam Speaks barely edged out some other woman whom no one really knows and whom no one reported ever seeing or hearing. She didn't show up for any of the forums and a computerized voice machine made all her campaign calls. Strange, but true, is that she nearly won, but Speaks will be around for the next two years or until Dr. Walker decides to rewrite the rules again. Stay tuned...
