The City of Atlanta can finally move on from the tumultuous cheating scandal that has commandeered Georgia news for over six years. After a week-long deliberation, the jury convicted eleven of the twelve defendants of at least one count of racketeering each on Wednesday afternoon. The jury did, however, acquit the twelfth defendant, elementary school teacher Dessa Curb, of all charges. Curb was charged with just three of the 28 counts of various crimes the defendants were charged with.
No date has been set for sentencing, but all convicted defendants are now in custody while they await their sentences. There was a heated exchange between the defense attorneys and Judge Jerry Baxter over whether or not the convicted should be brought into custody or remain out on bond, but Baxter didn’t budge.
If you’re wondering, there were actually over 100 educators and staff members of Atlanta Public Schools found to have been a part of the scandal. Most of them, however, accepted plea bargains and thus avoided a trial.
Former Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly Hall, who faced conspiracy and racketeering charges for her role in the scandal, passed away in March from breast cancer and never stood trial.
Fulton County District Attorney, Paul Howard, will speak at 3 PM regarding the verdict. Watch here
To see a full list of the defendants and the jury’s verdicts visit http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/28695594/watch-live-verdict-reached-in-aps-cheating-trial
