Tulia, Texas Part II

Repercussions of a drug sting

Suzanne Wills, Drug Policy Chair

There are people living in Tulia who have a social conscience. Retired ministers Alan Bean and Charles Kiker were horrified when about 50 children were left homeless after their parents, who lived near the poverty level, were all arrested on July 23, 1999 and charged with dealing in drugs. They formed a charitable organization, Friends of Justice, to provide food, clothing and school supplies for the children and to help them maintain contact with their parents. They also told anyone who would listen about the Tulia drug sting. They happen to be eloquent speakers and writers.

When Nate Bladeslee published “The Color of Justice” in the Texas Observer, drug policy reformers and civil rights advocates became interested in Tulia. In September, 2000 a press conference was held in Austin in hopes of drawing the attention of the public and legislators. In October the Department of Justice announced that it would conduct a criminal investigation into whether the civil rights of those arrested in Tulia had been violated. The results of that investigation have never been announced. In July, 2001 a “Never Again” rally was held in Tulia with speakers representing religious groups, drug policy reform organizations, the Texas ACLU and the NAACP. Finally someone in government took notice.

Two “Tulia bills” passed the Texas legislature in 2001. HB2350/SB1583 requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education to make public the reasons for officer firings and resignations if they involve crime or abuse of authority. Such a rule may have kept Tom Coleman out of Tulia. HB2351/SB1585 requires corroborating evidence in addition to the word of a confidential informant to support a criminal conviction. When prosecutors in Dallas attempted to obtain corroborating evidence for the most productive confidential informant in their narcotics division, what did they find? Pool chalk instead of cocaine.

Columnists from coast to coast have continued to write about the Tulia scandal. Bob Herbert of the New York Times recently published six columns: “Kafka in Tulia,” “Lawman of the Year,” “Tulia’s Shattered Lives,” “Railroaded in Texas,” “Justice Goes Into Hiding,” “A Confused Inquiry.” The Independent in the United Kingdom covered the story, “American Travesty.” The American Bar Association, Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Hillary Clinton have written to the DOJ requesting that it release its report. In August, 2002 Texas Attorney General John Cornyn belatedly announced that his office would investigate the sting. So far Swisher County DA Terry McEachern, Governor Rick Perry and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft have ignored all pleas for justice.

Thirteen innocent people still sit in prison. Many more innocent people are on probation. The perjurer and his enablers remain free.