Bribery Case Against Former Gwinnett Commisioner May Be Settled

The Gwinnett County district attorney said Monday that the bribery case against a former county commissioner may be settled Tuesday afternoon.

District Attorney Danny Porter announced a 2:30 p.m. hearing is scheduled for Kevin Kenerly, who is accused of accepting $1 million in bribes connected to county land purchases.

In an email to media outlets, Porter wrote, “The hearing may result in the resolution of the case.”

The hearing will be in front of Gwinnett Superior Court Judge Karen E. Beyers, according to court records.

Kenerly is accused of accepting or agreeing to accept $1 million in bribes for setting up agreements for the county commission to buy real estate. He is also charged with two counts of failing disclose a financial interest.

Citing court documents, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Kenerly is accused of accepting money from developer David Jenkins in 2007 to push for the county’s purchase of land to expand Rabbit Hill Park near Dacula. Jenkins reportedly owned the land. Kenerly said those payments were legitimate cash-out payments to end a business partnership with Jenkins, and not connect to the land deal.

Previously reported on Patch:

In October 2010, a special purpose grand jury indicted Kenerly, who stepped down as commissioner the following month.

The indictments claimed Kenerly failed to disclose a partnership with a developer who was seeking county rezoning of two properties at the time and was ultimately approved. Kenerly, who suspended himself from the commission the following month, was also accused of accepting or agreeing to accept a total of $1 million in bribes for setting up agreements for the county commission to buy real estate.

In July 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals overturned the indictment charges against Kenerly, indicating that the special purpose grand jury did not possess the power to bring criminal indictments

The following month, District Attorney Danny Porter got another indictment from a regular grand jury.

Last year, Kenerly and his attorney sought to quash the subsequent indictment, arguing in June before a three-judge panel of the Georgia Court of Appeals that it was invalid since the first indictment was still under appeal.

The court of appeals ruled in November, 2013, to uphold a 2012 Gwinnett Superior Court ruling, when a judge rejected Kenerly’s request to have the charges against him tossed out.