REVERSALS POSSIBLE IN STING

Following a week of highly damaging testimony - especially from undercover
agent Tom Coleman, who was caught in several contradictions - the state
reversed course and agreed to recommend that the convictions of all the
defendants be tossed out.

Chapman's words came as sweet relief to a courtroom full of friends and
family of the defendants, who sat in stunned silence as they were read but
erupted in jubilation outside the courtroom.

"I'm so happy," said Mattie White, who has three children in prison on
charges from the drug bust and a fourth who was charged but later cleared.
"I wish he (Chapman) had cut them loose right now. That's the best step I
ever heard. We've been praying for four years for this, and we haven't ever
given up."

"Judge Chapman is widely regarded as one of the best criminal trial judges
in the state," said defense attorney Mitchell Zamoff, who questioned
Coleman on the stand. "We have a high degree of confidence the court of
criminal appeals will agree with his findings."

District Attorney Terry McEachern, who prosecuted the cases, would not
comment on what led up to the agreement.

"Nothing's settled, but I hope that justice is being done," McEachern said.

McEachern is no longer representing the state. Special prosecutor John
Nation said all the attorneys representing the state submitted motions to
withdraw from the cases to the judge. Chapman accepted the motions from
McEachern and his staff, but kept Nation and Hobson on board.

Nation would not state the specific reason the resignations were submitted,
but said they were required by rules of the court.

The decision to withdraw backing from the convictions would appear to be a
blow to the state, but Nation said it actually showed the justice system
functioning as it should.

"We have a duty to see that justice is done, and we acted in accordance
with that duty today," Nation said. "The system is working."

The decision to vacate the convictions and Chapman's statement about
Coleman also bring up the question about what will happen to the former
undercover agent.

When asked about possible perjury charges against Coleman, Nation said only
"No comment."

Freddie Brookins Sr. had plenty to say about the man whose testimony put
his son in prison.

"Tom Coleman definitely needs to be in the places my son and these other
people are in," Brookins Sr. said. "That was criminal what he did. When you
take and mess up those many lives, you've got to pay a price."