One juror made weekly trips to Costco for cases of bottled water to keep in the jury room. Another bought a microwave oven. Another bought a coffee maker, which was raffled off after the landmark cheating trial came to a conclusion.
For nearly seven months, the jurors and alternates in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating case built a family out of people who were once strangers. According to foreman George Little and juror Raquel Sabogal, who spoke to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive interview this week, the jurors took their roles in the historic trial seriously but tried to create moments of levity behind the scenes.
In the months between September, when they started hearing testimony, and April 1, when they announced their verdicts, the jurors celebrated birthdays, holidays and special occasions. They all mourned when one juror had a family member die.
“It was hard to say good-bye,” Little said.
Almost two weeks ago, Little, Sabogal and the other jurors convicted 11 former educators of conspiring to cheat on the 2009 Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. The alleged ringleader, former Superintendent Beverly Hall, never went on trial because she died of breast cancer last month. Deliberations took about eight days — but not because of disagreements. The jurors said the group needed time to work through a complex case involving 12 defendants.
Ten of the now-convicted educators will be sentenced Monday for violating the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act and other felonies. Judge Jerry Baxter delayed sentencing the 11th convicted former educator until August; she gave birth to a son on Saturday. One defendant, Dessa Curb, was acquitted.
Before the verdicts were read, Baxter paused to praised the jury for exceptional work.
“I have never seen a jury that was more diligent,” he said. “Whatever your verdict is, I can live with it until I die. I know you have honestly and diligently carried out your responsibility. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with your service and you are to be commended.”
Specific roles
The jurors fell into specific roles in their newly-formed family soon after they were seated last September.
They had a supply of over-the-counter medications for such ailments as headaches or upset stomachs. One juror was a “social chairman” of sorts, planning chili dinners and taco lunches. Birthdays meant cake.
One woman made baskets filled with treats for Valentine’s Day. There was one for each of her colleagues, Baxter, the deputy who took care of them, the court reporter and the judge’s case manager. At Christmas, “secret Santas” brought gifts. Little got an inflatable neck rest, and Sabogal received an infinity scarf.
When one juror learned she was pregnant, mothers on the jury fussed over her and offered advice for before and after she delivered.
Little and Sabogal said there was never any tension in the room. Race did not surface as an issue even though some supporters feel it played a role in the decision to prosecute the 11 former educators, all African Americans.
“We worked well together,” Little said of the jury, which was comprised of six blacks, five whites and one Hispanic.
A methodical approach
When closing arguments concluded and it came time to deliberate, the jurors agreed on a methodical approach that started with a quiet review of notes before discussions began for each defendant. Then they would vote.
First, the group voted to convict former regional director Sharon Davis-Williams, but they acquitted her of two counts of false statements and writings. The last jury vote was on another regional director, Tamara Cotman.
The morning of April 1, on what would be their last day together, the jury voted to convict Cotman of one count of racketeering. They told the deputy assigned to them that they would be ready to announce the verdicts after the lunch break, to allow time for people to get in place.
Shortly before 2 p.m. on April 1, Baxter read the jury’s verdicts, one defendant at a time.
“I’m proud of the way we did it,” Little said.
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