Only One of Twelve Found Not Guilty in Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Trial

ATLANTA – MAY 2015 – On March 29, 2013, 35 former Atlanta Public School educators were indicted for conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) act and various other offenses including false statements and writings, false swearing, influencing witnesses and theft by taking.

Twenty-one of those charged pled guilty prior to trial through negotiated plea agreements. Twelve defendants proceeded to a highly publicized trial, which commenced with jury selection on August 11, 2014. On April 1, 2015, 11 of the 12 educators standing trial were convicted. Only a single one of those originally charged in the case was acquitted of all charges: Dessa Curb, represented by Atlanta criminal defense attorney Sandy Wallack.

“I had been given a handful of attorney suggestions through my union,” says Ms. Curb. “When I looked into Sandy and met with him, I knew he would do the best job. He promised me he would work hard to prove my innocence and do everything he could, and I could just tell he would.” Prior to and throughout the trial, Ms. Curb had Sandy by her side to help her understand everything that was happening. “There were so many confusing parts and sometimes I didn’t understand what was going on, but he was there to explain everything to me and help me understand. He was incredibly dedicated to helping me. He was my gift from God.”

Ms. Curb was equally impressed with the depth of Sandy’s legal knowledge. “He knew the law. In fact, there were several times where the other defendants’ attorneys would come to him for information and he was always prepared to assist them.”

Sandy is elated for his client. “We knew she was innocent of all charges, but given the media attention, we also understood that many would pass judgment without knowing all the facts,” says Sandy. “It was important that we clearly present Ms. Curb’s case so that the court would recognize she should not be judged based on the actions of others around her.”

To read press coverage from throughout the trial, visit Sandy’s blog at www.wallacklaw.com/category/atlanta-public-schools-cheating-trial.

ABOUT WALLACK LAW

Wallack Law is an Atlanta, Georgia law firm that provides criminal defense services. Sandy Wallack has defended charges including murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, white-collar crime, sexual offenses, commercial gambling, drug offenses and RICO actions, with extensive experience at both the trial and appellate level in state and federal court. To learn more, please visit www.wallacklaw.com.

Photo attribution:

Retired Atlanta Public Schools special education teacher, Dessa Curb, with her defense attorney, Sandy Wallack, and sister, Aleesa Williams, leave the Fulton County Courthouse after Curb’s verdicts of not guilty on all charges in the APS cheating trial on April 1, 2015. (Photo credit: Brant Sanderlin/AJC and AP)