Pubdate: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2003 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: http://amarillonet.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13 Author: Jessica Raynor TV PROGRAM TO SPOTLIGHT TULIA'S WOES TULIA - The town of Tulia finds itself in the national spotlight again with a Court TV program Thursday focusing on the discredited 1999 Tulia drug sting. "Railroaded in Texas," a one-hour documentary produced by New York City-based Gordon Platt, examines the high-profile drug bust of 46 Tulia residents, 39 of whom were black, and the subsequent convictions of 38 based on one undercover agent's now-discredited testimony. "I think we really went in with the idea of telling a story of what happened," Platt said. "It's not an investigative show. The investigation was done by the attorneys and investigators before I even showed up. It was just getting people to tell their stories and give some perspective on what happened." In August, Gov. Rick Perry pardoned 35 of the accused, putting to end the criminal aspects of the case. Once the case started to receive national attention in 2002, Platt started researching articles and talking to attorneys and others involved in repairing what they saw as an injustice. Early on, he talked to Jeff Blackburn, the Amarillo attorney who led the fight in getting the drug charges nullified. Blackburn put him in touch with the defendants and their families. Platt also visited Tulia twice and talked with several residents who went on the record with their discomfort at the negative attention the case brought, and their confusion as to why it was a big deal in the first place. Blackburn, who hasn't seen the documentary, said Platt's work on the project could make the program interesting - the most comprehensive story told on the topic. "We want this story to be told," Blackburn said. "(The story) is not in isolation from things like it that are happening across the state, across the country, across the world." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens