PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Prosecutors were thrown a curveball on Tuesday in the federal bribery trial of Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, his wife Dawn Chavous, and two former executives of the Universal Company.
They called former Universal Vice President Eve Lewis to the stand, expecting her to testify that Chavous had done little work for the 16-month, $66,750 contract she had with Universal in 2013 and 2014.
Prosecutors allege the contract was a ruse for a bribe to Johnson in exchange for help with property Universal owned in his district.
Lewis had told a grand jury in 2019 she remembered Chavous in only a couple of meetings during that time and recalled her only listening.
But Lewis began testifying about specific work Chavous had done outside the meetings, including working on a 20th anniversary celebration as a marketing tool and putting together presentations about Universal for corporate executives.
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Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dubnoff seemed taken aback and reminded Lewis that when she was asked in the grand jury if she ever saw Chavous do work for Universal, she said no.
“I could not understand why you were asking me about Ms. Chavous,” Lewis responded. “She was a consultant. I work with a lot of consultants. I have no memory of ‘seeing’ them do work. I did not.”
Lewis insisted, though, that after having time to think about it, in the three years since her grand jury statements, she remembers Chavous being involved in several projects.
Defense attorneys elicited more testimony on cross-examination, aiding their defense of Chavous’ work for Universal, including her specific work for a group called Philadelphia Community of Leaders (PCOL).
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Prosecutors have dismissed Chavous’ work for the group because it is not a Universal company, but Lewis testified it was a part of Universal’s mission. She said she considered her own work for PCOL to be part of her job with Universal.
Lewis became impatient when, on redirect questioning, Dubnoff returned to her grand jury testimony and an interview prior to it, and suggested she was changing her testimony.
“My testimony is not different. I’m expounding on it,” she said.
It was not the only disappointment of the day for prosecutors.
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They also flew in a witness from Milwaukee to testify about the closure of a Universal school there in 2017, but Judge Gerald McHugh ruled she could only testify about events that occurred in 2013 and 2014, the period of the indictment. She spent less than 15 minutes on the stand.
Former Parking Authority Deputy Executive Director Rich Dickson also testified. He said that he had often complained about a neglected lot at 13th and Bainbridge streets near his home, a lot that was jointly owned by Universal and the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA). Johnson allegedly help Universal with that property.
On cross-examination, Dickson said the complaints went to PHA because it was the majority owner, and PHA was the one who would respond.
Related Jawncast: Inside what to expect in the Kenyatta Johnson trial.
Other witnesses included the general counsel for the Philadelphia Board of Ethics who explained when Johnson would have been compelled to disclose a conflict of interest, and a forensic accountant who went through Johnson’s and Chavous’ finances from 2011 to 2015.
Prosecutors have told the judge their case is winding down, and they expect to rest Wednesday or Thursday.
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