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American Morning
Dozen People Convicted in Drug Sting Expected to be Released Today
Aired June 16, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: More serious news now. At least a dozen people who were convicted in a drug sting in Texas are expected to be released today, now that a police officer has been indicted for perjury.
More on that story now from Ed Lavandera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): July 23, 1999, a high profile drug sweep in Tulia, Texas rounded up 46 alleged drug dealers. Almost everyone arrested that day was African-American, 10 protect of the town's black population. Seven of the cases were dropped. The rest of the accused ended up in jail or on probation. But almost four years later, the cases are crumbling apart.
There are still 16 people in prison, like 59-year-old Joe Moore. He's serving a 90 year sentence for selling cocaine to an undercover officer he says he never met.
(on camera): How can you laugh about that?
JOE MOORE, TULIA DEFENDANT: I've just got faith that god is going to get me out of here.
LAVANDERA: On Monday, Moore's prayers will most likely be answered. At least a dozen of the Tulia defendants are expected to be released on bond while their cases are reviewed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Parole Board.
Moore and the others were imprisoned on the word of an undercover officer named Tom Coleman. At the trials, Coleman presented little evidence, few notes, no surveillance video or wiretaps. Now, after four years, a Texas judge who has studied the cases declared Coleman, "the most devious, non-responsive law enforcement officer this court has seen."
Coleman's attorney tells CNN the former undercover officer still stands behind the work he did on these cases and he thinks releasing these inmates just means more drug dealers will return to Tulia's streets.
TOM COLEMAN, UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER: I believe we did everything right in Tulia, everything. And I don't think there's anybody, I don't think there's not anybody in jail that don't deserve to be there or on probation. LAVANDERA: Coleman now faces perjury charges related to these arrests. But after four years, the accused still in prison, like Joe Moore, aren't thinking of Tom Coleman. They're thinking of coming home.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tulia, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: In our next hour, we'll talk with Jeff Blackburn. He is the attorney for a group of the suspects that's come to be known as the Tulia 13. That is at 8:15 Eastern.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Released Today>
Aired June 16, 2003 - 07:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: More serious news now. At least a dozen people who were convicted in a drug sting in Texas are expected to be released today, now that a police officer has been indicted for perjury.
More on that story now from Ed Lavandera.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): July 23, 1999, a high profile drug sweep in Tulia, Texas rounded up 46 alleged drug dealers. Almost everyone arrested that day was African-American, 10 protect of the town's black population. Seven of the cases were dropped. The rest of the accused ended up in jail or on probation. But almost four years later, the cases are crumbling apart.
There are still 16 people in prison, like 59-year-old Joe Moore. He's serving a 90 year sentence for selling cocaine to an undercover officer he says he never met.
(on camera): How can you laugh about that?
JOE MOORE, TULIA DEFENDANT: I've just got faith that god is going to get me out of here.
LAVANDERA: On Monday, Moore's prayers will most likely be answered. At least a dozen of the Tulia defendants are expected to be released on bond while their cases are reviewed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Parole Board.
Moore and the others were imprisoned on the word of an undercover officer named Tom Coleman. At the trials, Coleman presented little evidence, few notes, no surveillance video or wiretaps. Now, after four years, a Texas judge who has studied the cases declared Coleman, "the most devious, non-responsive law enforcement officer this court has seen."
Coleman's attorney tells CNN the former undercover officer still stands behind the work he did on these cases and he thinks releasing these inmates just means more drug dealers will return to Tulia's streets.
TOM COLEMAN, UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER: I believe we did everything right in Tulia, everything. And I don't think there's anybody, I don't think there's not anybody in jail that don't deserve to be there or on probation. LAVANDERA: Coleman now faces perjury charges related to these arrests. But after four years, the accused still in prison, like Joe Moore, aren't thinking of Tom Coleman. They're thinking of coming home.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tulia, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: In our next hour, we'll talk with Jeff Blackburn. He is the attorney for a group of the suspects that's come to be known as the Tulia 13. That is at 8:15 Eastern.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Released Today>
