Court clears ruling against Brookhaven officials

A DeKalb County judge has thrown out an unprecedented jury ruling against top Brookhaven officials who were personally fined for their roles in a real estate dispute. A Georgia appeals court had previously reversed the jury's ruling against the city itself. The latest decision clears the verdict against Mayor John Ernst and City Manager Christian Sigman, who each were ordered by the jury to pay $200,000 in punitive damages on top of the $6 million owed by the city. In a Sept. 22 order, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie took issue with how the case was presented to the jury, saying it might have unfairly prejudiced their ultimate decision that found Brookhaven and city officials responsible for the failure of a proposed 226-unit townhome development along Buford Highway.