(AJC) — Over her last few months in office, former Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly Hall accumulated $127,000 in legal fees related to the state’s investigation into test tampering. Now, taxpayers are paying the bill. Hall’s contract requires APS to pay legal fees for any “demands, claims, suits, actions and legal proceedings” brought against her as superintendent, excluding criminal charges or action. The legal fees, invoiced through Jones Day, an Atlanta firm that specializes in corporate criminal investigations, were made from March to May 31. A copy of the 23-page invoice obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows attorneys billed for everything from reviewing news articles about APS to preparing Hall for an in-depth interview with state investigators appointed by then Gov. Sonny Perdue. Their report, released in July after Hall left office, found that Hall knew or should have known about cheating, an accusation she denies. It’s now up to local district attorneys to decide whether criminal charges are warranted against Hall or others.
