13 TO BE RELEASED IN TAINTED DRUG CASE

TULIA, Texas (AP) - Thirteen people imprisoned on the testimony of a
discredited undercover officer were to be released Monday, nearly four
years after they and dozens of other residents - most of them African
American - were arrested on drug charges.

Of the 46 arrested in the 1999 undercover operation, 38 were convicted on
the uncorroborated word of undercover drug agent Tom Coleman - Now under
indictment on perjury charges - or they accepted plea agreements out of
fear of lengthy prison terms.

Civ1il rights advocates have called the arrests racially motivated. Of the
46 arrested in the small Panhandle town, 39 were black. Coleman is white.

Coleman claimed he bought drugs from the defendants, but he worked alone
and used no audio or video surveillance.

The 12 African Americans and one Latino will be taken today from the
Swisher County jail to the Swisher County Courthouse. There, State
District Judge Ron Chapman of Dallas is expected to free them on bond while
their cases are on appeal.

Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill June 2 allowing for the releases; it could
take as long two years for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to rule on
their cases.

Chapman previously presided over hearings for four of the defendants and
said Coleman was "simply not a credible witness under oath."

The judge recommended that the 38 convictions be overturned and new trials
ordered, but a special prosecutor has said there will be no new trials.