Convictions in DeKalb Schools Racketeering Trial Thrown Out

Two people who were convicted of corruption in relation to the DeKalb school construction scandal have had their convictions reversed and were ordered to be released on Monday.

According to WSB-TV, Patricia Reid and Tony Pope are free after Judge Cynthia Becker threw out their 2013 convictions for racketeering after she deemed the testimony of former DeKalb County School Superintendent Crawford Lewis was inconsistent on at least nine occasions. Pope had been serving an eight-year sentence, while Reid was serving a 15-year term.

During the 2013 trial, it was alleged that Reid, then the school district’s chief operating officer, funneled construction contracts to her (now ex) husband Tony Pope in spite of an order expressly forbidding Pope from obtaining additional contract work with the school district. Lewis, who was included in the original indictment, allegedly approved the corrupt arrangement, which generated approximately $2.3 million in illegal funds.

In October of 2013, Lewis pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of a law enforcement officer in exchange for his testimony against Pope and Reid. Lewis’ testimony helped lead to the conviction of both defendants, but Becker refused to honor the plea deal and sentenced Lewis to serve a year in jail. Lewis’ lawyer filed an emergency motion and was able to get his client out of jail after serving a week behind bars.

On Friday, the Georgia Court of Appeals vacated Lewis’ guilty plea and ordered that his case go before the trial court again.