INJUSTICE - COURTS PUNISH BLACKS

Everyone knows that America's criminal justice system is stacked
against blacks - and the tiny town of Tulia, Texas, is the latest
bitter example.

Last week, 12 Tulia residents - including 11 African-Americans - were
freed after spending four years in prison on cocaine charges. Their
convictions were based on the uncorroborated testimony of a white
police officer known to be a crude racist - and who now is under
indictment for lying at the trial. Nine other defendants had been
released earlier.

The case began with a roundup of 46 people in Tulia just before dawn
on July 23, 1999. Forty of the accused were black - about 10 percent
of the town's black population. Police found no drugs, no
paraphernalia, no weapons or other signs of drug dealing.

In eight speedy trials, detective Tom Coleman testified that he had
worked alone for 18 months buying cocaine from the 46. He had no video
or audio tapes, and virtually no other evidence, except his alleged
memory. He said he sometimes jotted notes on his leg after the "buys."
On his word alone, mostly white juries found suspects guilty, and they
drew extra-tough sentences ranging from 20 years to 90 years for one
60-year-old pig farmer. That convinced many others to plead guilty.
Twenty-five ended up in prison.

Then the case began to fall apart. Lies by Coleman became evident. The
trial judge and prosecutors later concluded that he had committed
"blatant perjury" at the trial and was "the most devious" witness
within memory. Also, it was learned that he had a scummy past, with
arrests for petty thievery, and often made vulgar racial remarks.

In April, the detective was indicted on three counts of aggravated
perjury. The Texas Legislature passed a bill releasing some of the
convicts. Gov. Rick Perry freed the prisoners while an appeals court
reviews the mess.

It's good news that innocent people are free from their cells - but
these citizens have missed four years of their children's lives, time
with their families, jobs, a college scholarship, in addition to four
years of freedom to live and work as they please.

Fortunately, they weren't accused of anything worse than drug crimes.
Had the charges been more serious, Texas - the death penalty capital
of America - might have killed them. Then there would have been no one
to free when cooler heads, and out-of-town lawyers and the NAACP prevailed.

The state will not be able to give back those lost years. But at least
the state didn't take more.

This Texas travesty underscores the fact that criminal justice does
not always work properly. People lie, fabricate evidence or simply
make mistakes. Because U.S. society still is tainted by racism,
African-Americans are often the victims of subconscious bigotry in the
courtroom.

For blacks, justice often turns out to be injustice.