Tulia, Texas
Law enforcement officials this week challenged the honesty of a crusading undercover officer who arrested 10 percent of a small town’s black population on drug charges. Former policeman Thomas Coleman conducted a one-man sting operation that led to the arrest of 40 black people, with 22 later sentenced to lengthy jail terms, including terms of 60, 99, and 434 years. The only evidence in the case was Coleman’s testimony that he sold them drugs. Four defendants have challenged their convictions, and in hearings law enforcement officials from Tulia and neighboring towns testified that Coleman’s police work was worthless. One described Coleman as a “paranoid gun nut,” and another called him a racist. Coleman conceded some of his testimony in the cases might be in error, but said he was “a regular, normal human being, Texan.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
September 8 editorial cartoonsCartoons Monday’s political cartoons include Donald Trump booed at the U.S. Open, a hidden message in the Epstein Files and a new bird in Florida
-
How to see more of The Week's stories on GoogleHow to Add The Week as a preferred source to get more of our award-winning coverage
-
Pope Leo canonizes first millennial saintSpeed Read Two young Italians, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, were elevated to sainthood
