Court declines to hear appeal in APS case
The Georgia Court of Appeals on Thursday declined to hear a pretrial appeal in the racketeering conspiracy case against 34 former Atlanta Public Schools teachers and administrators.
Lawyers representing former Kennedy Middle School Principal Lucious Brown and former Parks Middle School Principal Christopher Waller had asked the court to consider whether APS defendants, when initially interviewed by investigators, gave coerced statements because they had been told they risked losing their jobs if they did not cooperate.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter had denied the motion. He ruled that the APS defendants faced no express threats that they would be terminated if they failed to cooperate and give truthful answers.
Brian Steel, an attorney representing Brown, said he will now ask the state Supreme Court to consider the issue. If this court declines to hear the appeal, the case will proceed toward trial, which Baxter has set for next May.
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
