NAACP LOOKS INTO ALLEGATIONS BLACKS TARGETED IN TULIA DRUG BUSTS

TULIA, Texas -- The Amarillo chapter of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People is checking into an undercover drug operation
that landed 43 people -- 40 of whom are black -- in jail.

Tulia is home to about 237 blacks, which make up about 5 percent of the
city's 4,699 residents, according to the Texas State Data Center at Texas
A&M University, which bases its numbers on the 1990 census.

"We're extremely concerned just looking at the numbers," said Alphonso
Vaughn, president of Amarillo's NAACP chapter. "It doesn't seem to be
adding up. This many indictments in this community? It leaves an uneasy
feeling."

The arrests, which took place last summer, have raised eyebrows for a
number of reasons.

Some are upset about the amount of taxes being paid to jail those arrested
in the bust. Because of costs related to the cases, Swisher County
taxpayers saw a 5.8-percent property tax increase in October.

Others are concerned about allegations of theft and abuse of office against
a former Swisher County Sheriff's deputy who has provided much of the
evidence that has led to convictions in the cases. The charges against Tom
Coleman have since been dismissed, and he agreed to pay $6,950 in restitution.

Other residents have alleged that Swisher County Sheriff Larry Stewart
provided a list of suspects to Coleman that targeted black residents.
Stewart has denied the allegations, and Coleman told the Lubbock
Avalanche-Journal on Monday that he didn't remember whether Stewart
provided him with a list.

"The real problem in Tulia is the drug task force did a deep undercover
operation, and the drug dealers got caught red-handed, and now they're
hollering," Coleman told the paper. "The operation was to go buy drugs from
whoever sold them to me, and if they showed up with the drugs, I bought them."

Coleman said his only objective in the case was to catch drug dealers. He
said he conducted his investigation by the book.

More than half of the defendants have been convicted or pleaded guilty to
drug charges.

Swisher County District Attorney Terry McEachern says those complaining
about the busts are "trying to manipulate the system."

"Everybody's entitled to their day in court, and that includes the state,"
McEachern said.

Coleman continues to work in Texas as an undercover agent. He says he has
no problem with the NAACP investigating allegations that his undercover
operation targeted specific members of the community.

"If they want to look into it, it's their prerogative. I don't have
anything to hide," he said.