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American Morning
Interview with Joe Moore, Tulia Defendant
Aired June 17, 2003 - 07:18 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: With us right now from Amarillo, Texas, Joe Moore, one of the inmates who was released, and his attorney, Ted Killory.
Gentlemen, good morning. Thanks for being with us.
JOE MOORE, RELEASED INMATE: Good morning.
TED KILLORY, MOORE'S ATTORNEY: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Joe, let's go ahead and start with you. How does it feel to be a free man?
MOORE: I feel great.
KAGAN: And what were some of the first things you did when you walked into freedom?
MOORE: Well, I sat there and I wanted to eat barbecue and go take me a good bath.
KAGAN: Have you been able to do that?
MOORE: Oh, I have. I really have.
KAGAN: And all of those years behind bars as you were dreaming of the barbecue and the beautiful bubble bath did it feel as good or did it feel even better?
MOORE: Feels good.
KAGAN: So, Joe, you a smiling man today, you're a happy man because you're a free man. But are you bitter about what's taken place over the last few years?
MOORE: No, ma'am, I don't feel bitter (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I guess I put in the hands of God, and it worked for me.
KAGAN: And what about this undercover cop who now is facing perjury charges, a man who took away your freedom, what are your feelings toward him?
MOORE: Well, I really ain't got no -- got feelings for him, but I ain't got no good in my heart for him from him.
KAGAN: Really? That is just incredible. Ted, let's bring you in here. What was the break in this case? Clearly, there were a lot of years, a lot of people saying that there was a lot of harm done, lies told. What turned it around that allowed these people to go free?
KILLORY: Daryn, there were a series of things, one of most important of which was there was a visiting judge appointed, Ron Chapman, who came in to preside over the habeas hearing that we conducted about two months ago. And Judge Chapman was a fair-minded man, who just had an open mind, and we were allowed to put all of the evidence into the record about Mr. Coleman. And then the cross- examination at trial showed him to be, as Judge Chapman found him to be, a complete perjurer.
And as a result of that, the special prosecutors joined with the defense in a complete turnaround after all of these years and joined with us in requesting that these convictions be overturned. And that's, Daryn, what we're ultimately hoping for.
Yesterday was bail, which was a great first step as the result of a special bill that made it through the legislature, due to Senator Whitmire down here. But the next big step is to have these convictions completely overturned, which we're hoping will happen real soon, either through the pardons process or the Court of Criminal Appeals.
KAGAN: And so, legally...
KILLORY: And I've got to tell you...
KAGAN: Go ahead.
KILLORY: Joe is someone who has inspired all of us. Through all of that time in prison, he's been there for almost four years as a result of these trumped-up charges, he kept the faith. And when our spirits would be low, Joe would be the guy that says, listen, I believe in God, I know I'm innocent, and I'm going to get out. And yesterday was a vindication of all of his faith.
MOORE: It sure was.
KAGAN: And, Joe, you got your immediate things you wanted, the bubble bath and barbeque, but long term -- I know before you went to prison you were a hog farmer, you had that job going.
MOORE: That's right.
KAGAN: Is that kind of work waiting for you? Or what do you plan to do now?
MOORE: well, right now, I'm just going to enjoy myself and think about what's going to happen down through in the future.
KAGAN: Well, whatever awaits you, it includes freedom, and we wish you well. Thanks for sharing that with us...
MOORE: Yes, ma'am.
KAGAN: ... a little taste of that this morning. Joe Moore, a free man, and his attorney, Ted Killory. Gentlemen, thank you.
KILLORY: Thank you, Daryn.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired June 17, 2003 - 07:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: With us right now from Amarillo, Texas, Joe Moore, one of the inmates who was released, and his attorney, Ted Killory.
Gentlemen, good morning. Thanks for being with us.
JOE MOORE, RELEASED INMATE: Good morning.
TED KILLORY, MOORE'S ATTORNEY: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Joe, let's go ahead and start with you. How does it feel to be a free man?
MOORE: I feel great.
KAGAN: And what were some of the first things you did when you walked into freedom?
MOORE: Well, I sat there and I wanted to eat barbecue and go take me a good bath.
KAGAN: Have you been able to do that?
MOORE: Oh, I have. I really have.
KAGAN: And all of those years behind bars as you were dreaming of the barbecue and the beautiful bubble bath did it feel as good or did it feel even better?
MOORE: Feels good.
KAGAN: So, Joe, you a smiling man today, you're a happy man because you're a free man. But are you bitter about what's taken place over the last few years?
MOORE: No, ma'am, I don't feel bitter (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I guess I put in the hands of God, and it worked for me.
KAGAN: And what about this undercover cop who now is facing perjury charges, a man who took away your freedom, what are your feelings toward him?
MOORE: Well, I really ain't got no -- got feelings for him, but I ain't got no good in my heart for him from him.
KAGAN: Really? That is just incredible. Ted, let's bring you in here. What was the break in this case? Clearly, there were a lot of years, a lot of people saying that there was a lot of harm done, lies told. What turned it around that allowed these people to go free?
KILLORY: Daryn, there were a series of things, one of most important of which was there was a visiting judge appointed, Ron Chapman, who came in to preside over the habeas hearing that we conducted about two months ago. And Judge Chapman was a fair-minded man, who just had an open mind, and we were allowed to put all of the evidence into the record about Mr. Coleman. And then the cross- examination at trial showed him to be, as Judge Chapman found him to be, a complete perjurer.
And as a result of that, the special prosecutors joined with the defense in a complete turnaround after all of these years and joined with us in requesting that these convictions be overturned. And that's, Daryn, what we're ultimately hoping for.
Yesterday was bail, which was a great first step as the result of a special bill that made it through the legislature, due to Senator Whitmire down here. But the next big step is to have these convictions completely overturned, which we're hoping will happen real soon, either through the pardons process or the Court of Criminal Appeals.
KAGAN: And so, legally...
KILLORY: And I've got to tell you...
KAGAN: Go ahead.
KILLORY: Joe is someone who has inspired all of us. Through all of that time in prison, he's been there for almost four years as a result of these trumped-up charges, he kept the faith. And when our spirits would be low, Joe would be the guy that says, listen, I believe in God, I know I'm innocent, and I'm going to get out. And yesterday was a vindication of all of his faith.
MOORE: It sure was.
KAGAN: And, Joe, you got your immediate things you wanted, the bubble bath and barbeque, but long term -- I know before you went to prison you were a hog farmer, you had that job going.
MOORE: That's right.
KAGAN: Is that kind of work waiting for you? Or what do you plan to do now?
MOORE: well, right now, I'm just going to enjoy myself and think about what's going to happen down through in the future.
KAGAN: Well, whatever awaits you, it includes freedom, and we wish you well. Thanks for sharing that with us...
MOORE: Yes, ma'am.
KAGAN: ... a little taste of that this morning. Joe Moore, a free man, and his attorney, Ted Killory. Gentlemen, thank you.
KILLORY: Thank you, Daryn.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
