Pubdate: Sun, 23 Mar 2003
Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX)
Contact:  2003 Amarillo Globe-News
Website: http://amarillonet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13
Author: Greg Cunningham
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/tulia.htm (Tulia, Texas)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?118 (Perjury)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Tom+Coleman) (Coleman, Tom)

COLEMAN CONTRADICTS HIMSELF ON THE STAND

TULIA -- The undercover agent who conducted the controversial 1999 Tulia 
drug sting was caught in several contradictions during testimony Friday - 
contradictions that defense attorneys called lies and perjury.

Former undercover agent Tom Coleman spent the entire morning on the stand 
in the Swisher County courtroom delivering testimony in evidentiary 
hearings for four defendants from the drug sting.

Coleman was the most anticipated witness in the week of hearings for the 
defendants, Jason Jerome Williams, Christopher Eugene Jackson, Freddie 
Brookins Jr. and Joe Moore. The cases of the four men were remanded back to 
Swisher County for more hearings last year by the Texas Court of Criminal 
Appeals.

Defense attorneys were able to score several points, eliciting answers from 
Coleman that contradicted prior statements and even sworn testimony.

Coleman repeatedly said he did not know until Aug. 7, 1998, about theft and 
abuse of official capacity charges from Cochran County, which were filed 
against him in the middle of the investigation.

Defense attorney Mitchell Zamoff then pulled out a deposition in which 
Coleman admitted he knew about the charges three months earlier. Zamoff did 
not press the matter, instead moving on to another contradiction.

Coleman testified that he did not alert the Texas Commission on Law 
Enforcement Officer Standards and Education that he had been arrested on 
the charges and said he never contacted the commission.

The defense then played a tape of an interview in which Coleman admitted he 
had called TCLEOSE. Coleman quickly changed his testimony, discussing the call.

Most of the week's testimony consisted of simple questions and answers 
without the drama so prevalent in television law shows. Zamoff got his TV 
moment, however, when he questioned Coleman about Sam Esparza.

A former Pecos County deputy who worked with Coleman, Esparza testified on 
the first day of hearings that Coleman made racist statements about 
Hispanics while the two of them rode in a car. When asked about the 
conversation Friday, Coleman denied it ever happened.

Without mentioning that it took place in a car, Zamoff continued quizzing 
Coleman about the conversation.

"If I was prejudiced against him and he was a Mexican, why would I say that 
to him in the car?" Coleman said.

The rest of his comment was drowned out by outraged comments from observers 
about how no one had said anything about a car.

The defense seemed to be gaining momentum going into the lunch break by 
getting Coleman to contradict earlier statements, but the hearings were 
abruptly concluded after lunch. They will resume April 1.

Coleman's testimony pleased defense attorneys, who said they hoped it would 
help them free the four defendants.

Attorneys for the state said the other side of Coleman has yet to be 
presented, however.
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