RALLY COMMEMORATES ARRESTS

Participants From Tulia, Across Country

TULIA - About 250 people showed up at a rally in Tulia on Sunday to
commemorate the two-year anniversary of the controversial arrests of 46
people following an undercover investigation.

The program, dubbed the "Never Again Rally," featured entertainment by
local artists and speeches by nearly two dozen prominent figures in drug
policy reform and social justice issues.

The crowd at Tulia's Conner Park was split evenly between local folks and
participants from across the state and country.

Billy Wafer, who was arrested in the drug sting, cleared and later filed a
civil lawsuit, said it was encouraging to see the number of people from
outside Tulia who showed up to lend support.

"My heart is just racing," Wafer said as he surveyed the crowd. "It's
amazing. We knew we had the support of people all across the country, but
it's just amazing to actually see it. To see all these faces out here
supporting us. It's amazing."

The high number of people expected at the park and the tension from the
controversy over the Tulia arrest put local law enforcement on alert.

A pair of Tulia police officers videotaped the rally from patrol cars while
other officers drove around the park periodically. Swisher County Sheriff's
deputies and Department of Public Safety troopers had a sizable presence as
well.

Event organizer Alan Bean of Tulia and Tulia Police Department Lt. Joe Bill
Dempsey said the law enforcement presence was appropriate given the
circumstances.

"We're going to be out here because we don't want anything to get out of
hand," Dempsey said. "We don't expect any problems and we're going to be as
accommodating as possible, but we're going to be prepared."

The rally was peaceful, with no incidents reported as of press time.

The event kicked off with a "Freedom Ride" from Austin with two buses
carrying supporters to a vigil outside the Formby and Wheeler Units in
Plainview, where participants protested the number of nonviolent offenders
in the prisons.

The vigil became a little tense as Assistant Warden Greg Franklin
confronted the protesters, demanding that the protesters move to another
area and stop videotaping the facility.

Kevin Zeese, president of Common Sense for Drug Policy Reform, downplayed
the incident and instead chose to focus on the message of the vigil.

"We simply had a disagreement, and I think it was a fairly cordial one,"
Zeese said. "We wanted to get the message out to all the nonviolent drug
offenders in there that someone is taking up their cause. I think we were
successful in that."

The rally proper kicked off at 6 p.m. in Tulia with singing by children
whose parents were arrested in the drug sting.

A succession of speakers then took the stage to speak out against the drug
war. The speakers' common theme was its inherently racist nature, as well
as to support the 46 people arrested in the drug sting.

"We're here principally to show solidarity with the people in Tulia who've
had the bravery to stand up in the face of discrimination," said Will
Harrell, executive director of the Texas chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union. "But we're also here to get out the larger message, which
is that our current drug policy is a failure and must be changed."

The rally was scheduled to continue through midnight, when participants
were to march to the Swisher County courthouse for a candlelight vigil.

Bean said he was happy with the turnout and would consider the event a
success if people came away understanding the human cost of arrests like
those in Tulia.

"I want people to go home with the knowledge that prisoners are people with
families, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters," Bean said. "I
want them to understand the consequences of locking up people for so long
for nothing but drug offenses."

(SIDEBAR)

TIMELINE

Jan. 21, 1998 - Tom Coleman hired by Swisher County Sheriff Larry Stewart
to work undercover.

March 29, 1998 - Coleman logs his first drug buy.

May 6, 1998 - Coleman charged with abuse of official capacity and theft in
Cochran County.

Aug. 17, 1998 - Charge against Coleman dropped after restitution made.

July 23, 1999 - First arrests in the drug sting after grand jury hands up
132 indictments for 46 people.

Dec. 15, 1999 - First trial concludes.

Sept. 7, 2000 - Last trial concludes.

Sept. 28, 2000 - First civil suit filed in federal court.

Oct. 13, 2000 - Complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice seeking
civil rights investigation.

Feb. 22 - Second lawsuit filed.

(PHOTOGRAPH CAPTION)

Differing Opinions: Greg Franklin, assistant prison warden at Formby Unit
Wheeler, from left, Kevin Zeese, president of Common Sense for Drug Policy
of Washington, D.C., and Scott Henson of the American Civil Liberties Union
accountability project of Austin give viewpoints on the right to protest
and videotape outside the prison in Plainview. (Photo by Henry Bargas)