WSB's Veronica Waters reports the defense has called 16 witnesses in four days as it works to refute each of the government's allegations against Campbell, who's facing a seven-count indictment accusing him of racketeering, tax evasion, and bribery. The defense's case is expected to go at least one more day, with one of the names on its witness list that of Michael Coleman, Campbell's personal attorney.

Among those who have already testified for Campbell are Sam Barber, a businessman whom prosecutors allege provided bribes for Campbell but who was not called to the stand by the government; ex-Atlanta City Attorney Susan Langford, who disputed that Campbell took bribes from a strip club owner; and former Mayor and Ambassador Andrew Young, who was cut off on cross-examination by Assistant U. S. Attorney Sally Yates when he began to say, "The reason I was anxious to testify is because the way the RICO statutes are used..."

The defense has also attempted to cast doubt on the credibility of prosecution witnesses. One such instance concerns the testimony of Michael Sullivan, the former director of Atlanta's office of contract compliance, who testified for the prosecution that he and Campbell traveled a lot together. Sullivan told jurors that Campbell got upset when city contractor Rickey Rowe paid for one of their trip's hotel incidentals on a credit card—complaining that that would leave a "paper trail."

The defense called two businessmen who told the jury that Sullivan, who had moved into a position as consultant for United Water, instructed them how to bid on contracts just under $20,000 each and then pay him kickbacks when the contracts were awarded. Sullivan testified that he shared the kickbacks with Atlanta chief of staff DeWayne Martin but that the contracts were legitimate.

A defense motion to dismiss the Campbell case based on what they call prosecution misconduct claims the Government has evidence to the contrary from Martin, whom they believe told government agents that he and Sullivan knew the contracts they were setting up were phony. Martin was not called to testify by the prosecution. Yates told Judge Richard Story last week that they are preparing their response to the defense's motion to dismiss.

Whether former mayor Campbell will testify remains unknown by perhaps everyone except the defense team. Campbell has indicated frequently that he "wants" to take the stand. Defense attorney Billy Martin said last week lawyers would discuss it over the weekend and give Campbell "their best advice."

Monday, 6 March 2006