DIGGING DEEPER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2009 questioned construction contracts involving architect Tony Pope, who was married to the DeKalb school district’s chief operating officer. The AJC also reported that Superintendent Crawford Lewis and COO Pat Reid had bought their county cars at deeply discounted prices. The three were indicted in 2010 and the AJC has tracked the case as it came to trial 3 1/2 years later. Follow our coverage at our premium website, myAJC.com.
Five months after a judge ordered them freed from prison, a one-time married couple convicted of defrauding DeKalb County schools of millions of dollars was taken back into custody Tuesday to resume serving their sentences.
Judge Gregory A. Adams’ signed arrest warrants for Pat Reid, DeKalb schools’ former chief operating officer, and her former husband, Tony Pope, an architect.
The two were convicted of racketeering in 2013 and started serving their prison sentences. But former Judge Cynthia Becker last December ordered that they be released and retried. Becker said they had been convicted on testimony that wasn’t truthful.
The Court of Appeals overturned Becker's decision, and now the case is before another judge — Gregory A. Adams — because Becker is no longer on the bench. The prosecution asked Adams to sign arrest warrants for Reid and Becker, which he did Tuesday. Adams said he expected to rule soon at least on Reid's request for a new trial. He also has to decide if Pope can file an appeal even though the deadline has passed.
Attorney Tony Axam, Reid’s attorney, said he would filed the paperwork Wednesday asking Adams to set a new bond so Reid can be free while her appeal is pending.
The two were convicted in late 2013 of manipulating construction contracts worth $1.4 million, of which Pope was paid $150,000 he was not entitled to receive.
It took three years for the case to go to trial. Former DeKalb school Superintendent Crawford Lewis was charged with racketeering, along with Reid and Pope. But, just before the trial was to start in the fall of 2013, Lewis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, a deal that would get him probation instead of jail time in exchange for his testimony for the prosecution.
When it came time for him to be sentenced, Becker angrily accused him of not telling the truth when he testified. She refused to sentenced him to probation. Instead, Becker ordered him to spend 12 months in jail over the objections of his lawyer as well as prosecutors.
Lewis was immediately taken to jail. Becker refused to set an appeal bond and left town to go to a football game. While Becker was still out of the state, the Georgia Court of Appeals ordered Lewis given an appeal bond and he was released after five days.
Last October, the Court of Appeals ruled Becker had to honor the deal unless she could specifically identify how Lewis didn’t do what he promised.
She then ordered new trials for Pope and Reid, even though at the time Pope had not asked her for a new trial.
The Court of Appeals overturned that decision as well.
Becker left the bench earlier this year when got married and moved to another county. Still, the Judicial Qualifications Commission is investigating her because of this case.
Tuesday was a replay of Nov. 20,2013, when the two were sentenced. Reid and Pope sat only a few feet apart but didn't acknowledge each other.Reid removed her jewelry and handed it, along with her purse and cellphone, to a friend. Deputies led the two out of the courtroom, and neither had any reaction.
