Pubdate: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX) Copyright: 2003 Austin American-Statesman Contact: http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/32 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/tulia.htm (Tulia, Texas) THE TRUTH ABOUT TULIA MAY FINALLY BE UNVEILED Today, the eyes of the nation will be on Tulia, the tiny town in the Texas Panhandle that gained fame for arresting 10 percent of its African American population on specious drug trafficking charges. It's been more than three years since those notorious drug busts in 1999. During that time, the public has learned, mostly from New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, about the African Americans in Tulia who were arrested and convicted on the uncorroborated testimony of one investigating officer, Tom Coleman. The arrests are controversial and highly suspect because no drugs, money or weapons were found. It is incredible that a district attorney would vigorously prosecute people based on Coleman's dubious testimony, which was based on a slipshod investigation that sprouted from a spotty law enforcement record. It's equally hard to believe that a jury would convict based on that testimony. Yet, it did. It's an all-too familiar story: black defendants, all-white jury, overzealous prosecutor, guilty verdicts. Events in Tulia prompted the Legislature in 2001 to pass a bill that requires corroboration of testimony provided by informants. But lawmakers must go further this time around by setting that same standard for law enforcement officers. Senate Bill 515 by Chuy Hinojosa, D-McAllen, would do that. The current law would not have prevented the Tulia tragedy because Coleman wasn't an informant, but an officer working under cover. Defendants were arrested and convicted on the uncorroborated, unsubstantiated testimony of the officer and assessed prison sentences that range from 20 years to 90 years. After the first harsh sentences were handed down, the remaining defendants quickly began agreeing to plead guilty in return for leniency. Today's court-ordered evidentiary hearing is for four men who remain in prison: Jason Jerome Williams, Christopher Eugene Jackson, Freddie Brookins Jr. and Joe Moore. Their convictions were upheld on appeals, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals last year asked the trial court for clarification on whether the men were convicted solely on the word of Coleman. The appeals court also wants to know whether the state failed to turn over information from Coleman's background that may have impeached his testimony. It's been a long time coming, but the four Tulia residents finally will get a fair day in court. The judge who presided over almost all of the 46 defendants' cases has rightly recused himself. Forty of the people arrested are black, three others are Hispanic and the remaining three had marital or social ties to Tulia's black community. Among those who will be called to testify are Coleman and Swisher County District Attorney Terry McEachern. These evidentiary hearings are important in unearthing the truth about Tulia. For his efforts busting black Tulia residents, Coleman received the state's "Lawman of the Year " award. Texas can't close the chapter on Tulia until the full truth is known, no matter how painful or embarrassing. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake