WATCH: Judge reduces sentences for convicted former APS educators

ATLANTA - Convicted Atlanta Public Schools educators Sharon Davis Williams, Michael Pitts and Tamara Cotman were in court on Thursday afteoon to be resentenced.

All three former APS executive directors originally received 20-year sentences to serve 7 for racketeering in the largest standardized test cheating scandal in U.S. History.

Thursday, Judge Baxter cut the sentence in half for Williams, Pitts and Cotman. The new sentence is  10 years and they must  serve 3 in prison with the remaining to be served on probation, $10,000 fine, and 2,000 hours community service.

Amid all the speculation, Judge Baxter opened the proceedings with the reason why he was resentencing the three:

"I have done a lot of reflecting on my sentence that I rendered two weeks ago. I'm not comfortable with it. When a judge goes home he keeps thinking over and over that's something's wrong. Something is usually wrong. Anyway, I want to modify the sentence so I can live with it. I'm going to put myself out to pasture in the not too distant future and I wanna be out in the pasture without any regrets."

At one point during the proceedings, Benjamin Davis, attoey for Cotman, may have given a preview to his clients appeal. He asked the judge to review the wording of the original indictment arguing it may have been misleading. Judge Baxter cut his argument short saying, "...tell it to the appellate courts."

Cotman's attoey also tried to ask Judge Baxter to augment her sentence to allow her to provide service to the academy that has been established to help student hurt by the CRCT cheating scandal. But it appeared Judge Baxter was not in a mood for arguments.

"I have been listening to you for two years it's sort of made me dizzy to tell you the truth," said Judge Baxter.

The judge dismissed the arguments saying, ”I'm ready to get out of the APS business. I mean, I've been in it for night and day for two years and you know I'm just pretty much over it.

Judge Baxter told the attoeys that ”it is my humble belief this case will be affirmed. He suggested to the former educators that they join the Atlanta Redemption Academy ahead of an appeal for their community service.

"I have been reversed many times in my career, but I just... If I am reversed, and you are correct, you will still have served the community. So it's not like you've wasted time," the judge said.

Judge Baxter, noting that he was being broadcasted on TV, urged the community to tap the resource of retired teachers in repairing the damage left in the wake of scandal. He noted that something needs to happen:

”Hopefully, hopefully after going through this our community will put a microscope on it and hopefully make things better for these children that didn't ask to be bo in these conditions, but they are bo in these conditions and they need all the help they can to get out of there.

Judge Baxter again emphasized to the attoeys that their clients had a chance to take responsibility for their actions, but since they did not they will be going to jail.

In the style that has punctuated the trial, Judge Baxter exited the proceedings saying ”You know…  I'm ready to move on. So, anyway… Adiós.

A jury found 11 of the former Atlanta Public Schools educators guilty after a lengthy trial.

Dr. Beverly Hall, the district's superintendent when the cheating took place and the person who prosecutors contend masterminded it, passed away from complications from Stage IV breast cancer before facing prosecution.