Judge Jerry Baxter gave each educator two options during sentencing on Monday: admit guilt and take a deal or risk going to prison. He gave them until 10 a.m. today to make the decision.
INTERACTIVE: The who's who of the APS trial
Baxter encouraged the convicted educators to take the deal offered by the district attorney's office over the weekend: weekends in jail instead of prison time. In return, they would have to accept their guilt and give up their rights to appeal.
As of the time court resumed Tuesday morning, only one defendant, Donald Bullock, accepted the DA's office deal for sentencing.
Bullock read a statement apologizing and accepting responsibility for racketeering and making false statements. Bullock was given 5 years probation, 6 months of weekends in jail, a $5,000 fine and 1,500 hours of community service.
The state then recommended sentences for the rest of the defendants: five years to serve three for Sharon Davis-Williams, Tamara Cotman and Michael Pitts; five years to serve two for Dana Evans, Tabeeka Jordan and Angela Williamson, five years to serve one for Theresia Copeland, Pamela Cleveland and Diane Buckner-Webb.
Things got heated in the courtroom before the judge handed down sentences. When one lawyer raised his voice, Baxter fired back "Sit down or I'm going to put you in jail."
Baxter then sentenced School Resource Team Executive Directors Sharon Davis-Williams, Tamara Cotman and Michael Pitts as first offenders to 20 years with seven to serve, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
Former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans received a sentence of five years to serve one, four years probation, 1,000 hours of community service and she was sentenced as a first offender.
[RAW VIDEO: Judge tells APS defendant, 'My heart goes out to you']
Angela Williamson, a former teacher at Dobbs Elementary, and Tabeeka Jordan, former Deerwood Elementary Assistant Principal, were sentenced as first offenders to the state’s recommendation of five years to serve two, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community hours and $5,000 fine
Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Diane Buckner-Webb and Former Benteen Elementary Testing Coordinator Theresia Copeland were sentenced as first offenders to five years to serve one, four years probation, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
Dunbar Elementary Teacher Pamela Cleveland was the final educator to be sentenced. She received five years probation, 1,000 hours of community service, curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the first year and a $1,000 fine. She was sentenced as a first offender.
The defendants were then required to return to jail for processing, but have been granted an appeals bond.