Ex-Drug Agent Found Convicted of Perjury [Tulia, TX]

AP ^ | Jan 14 2005

[george wythe]

The lone undercover agent in a sting that sent dozens of black people to prison on bogus drug charges was convicted Friday of one of two perjury counts.

Tom Coleman was acquitted of testifying falsely in a 2003 hearing that as a sheriff's deputy he never stole gas from county pumps, but he was found guilty of saying that he didn't learn about the theft charge against him until August 1998.

Jurors were to begin hearing evidence in the penalty phase of the trial later Friday. The perjury charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence and $10,000 fine.

Coleman arrested 46 people, most of them black, in the small, mostly white farming community of Tulia. He worked alone and used no audio or video surveillance, and no drugs were ever found, but 38 defendants were convicted or reached plea deals

[Shisan]

I need to know, what is the "responsible use" of marijuana?

[HiTech RedNeck]

To answer a couple of stupid questions from a JBT:

"Gov. Rick Perry pardoned 35 of the defendants in 2003, after an investigation into the drug cases was launched amid charges they were racially motivated. It was during the investigation that Coleman made his false statement in court.

Coleman could not prosecuted for testimony he gave at the drug defendants' trials because the statute of limitations had expired."

[HiTech RedNeck]

The actual headline says the dirtbag may get probation. To have to spend 7 years living in Tulia without a gun may be punishment enough.

[HiTech RedNeck]

dirtbag => "reported" dirtbag

[wardaddy]

Chronic marijuana use is not harmless.

[libertyman]

I never said that (what you call) "chronic" marijuana use was harmless--I said marijuana use isn't ADDICTIVE. I, of all people, can testify to this, because I smoke marijuana. I can go for weeks--& even MONTHS w/o smoking it, & it doesn't faze me in the least....& out of all of the people I'm met over the 28 yrs that I've enjoyed marijuana, I haven't met one single person--NOT ONE!--who suffers from any kind of withdrawal symptoms whatsoever when they go w/o smoking it. It's that simple.

However, I DO know what drug addiction is all about, because I used to be addicted to nicotine. I was a cigarette smoker (25 cigarettes a day) for about 19 years, & I quit just a little over 2 years ago. The quitting process was pure hell: it took 4 months for me to get to where I felt like I fully broke my addiction to nicotine. My sleeping pattern was throw totally out of kilter, I suffered headaches, dizziness, stomach cramps, & what I call "the shakes".

Oh, yeah.....about using the word "chronic"--I'm not into the gangland rap style (I despise it, actually), but like them I consider that word to be a POSITIVE thing--it's just another name for pot...it's what we use to show respect for God's green herb.

[kingsurfer]

I haven't met one single person--NOT ONE!--who suffers from any kind of withdrawal symptoms whatsoever when they go w/o smoking it. It's that simple.

...........................................................

I did. I felt awful for months.

That said nicotine and alcohol are worse and much more available.

[libertyman]

You can find the answer to that question right here:

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3417

5 very simple, easy-to-do principles (why, even a non-pot smoker can understand them!). In other words, follow the Golden Rule!

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[freepatriot32]

dont bother with reason with him. I made that mistake to just look under user post s for this guy he is a drug warrior with a captiol w who firmly believes no one no matter how much pain they are in should be allowed pain killers stronger then asprin becasue everything else is hgardcore drugs and is bad for society

[libertyman]

Hmmmmmm...not once have I ever considered my pot dealer to be a vulture. Quite the opposite, in fact. I consider him to be a good friend, what he does for me a big favor, & I deeply appreciate his going thru the Drug War mine field to provide me w/ what I enjoy using.

He's not "feeding" off my "addiction", because I'm not addicted, & marijuana isn't physically addictive in the 1st place (read my previous post regarding my past drug addiction--NICOTINE. Being an ex-cigarette smoker, I know what drug addiction is all about!).

Speaking of nicotine, since you used the word "poison", nicotine itself is used a a poison, is it not? If you insist on calling marijuana a "poison", calling my dealer a vulture, or me an addict--& can say so w/ a straight face--then I feel sorry for you. You are beyond rehabilitation into the real world.

[libertyman]

I'll just hafta take your word for it, 'cuz I've never seen any kind of marijuana withdrawal from the folks I've toked w/ over the years, & it certainly isn't true in my case.

Sure, I wouldn't LIKE it if I had to go for months w/o smoking a joint, but then again, I hate going w/o having a pecan pie for long periods of time. But that's life...s**t happens, ya know? Like the song sez, "You can't always get what you want"!

[robertpaulsen]

"you seem to be hoping for bad outcomes for a given neighborhood."

How? I mean if there was no drug dealing going on, as you say, then why would it start now? Should be a very peaceful neighborhood, right?

No need to send (white) cops there ... ever.

[robertpaulsen]

"It was during the investigation that Coleman made his false statement in court."

Correct. In 2003, they questioned him about an incident that happened five years before. He thought the incident happened in June. Turns out it was August.

Well, there you go. Perjury. Hang 'im high!

That's all, repeat, all they could get on him. Not that they didn't try.

46 arrests. 11 convictions in court (where he testified). 27 pled guilty. Where's the lies, the false testimony, the perjury, the railroading, the unfairness, the racism, the maufacturing of false evidence associated with the actual drug trials and convictions?

Zip. Nada. Bupkis. Zero.

One thing I do agree with. There is a railroading of the innocent going on all right.

[robertpaulsen]

"Gov. Rick Perry pardoned 35 of the defendants in 2003 ..."

IIRC, the other three had previous drug dealing convictions, so he couldn't pardon them.

What a coincidence, huh? "Real" drug dealers were actually arrested along with all the other innocent civilians.

[snowsislander]

Tom Coleman was acquitted of testifying falsely in a 2003 hearing that as a sheriff's deputy he never stole gas from county pumps, but he was found guilty of saying that he didn't learn about the theft charge against him until August 1998.

I don't know the background of this case, but if the man was merely off by 2 months about an event five years previous, then isn't it conceivable that he just was wrong in his memory rather than lying about it?

[robertpaulsen]

So, marijuana use isn't addictive 1) because you say so (and you have 28 years of experience in the matter so you should know), 2) because your friends who smoke marijuana say so and, 3) because you don't know anyone who is.

Yep, I think we can expect honest answers from that group, don't you? More accurate than any national survey done by a reputable agency. Like any one of your friends is going to say that he has a problem with marijuana?

You realize, of course, that most people stop smoking marijuana in their early 30's. Those who can stop, that is.

[robertpaulsen]

"I remember why I didn't bother posting to you all these years ..."

Yeah, I represent the cold, hard voice of reason, that's why.

You wanna know what's going on in Tulia today? Tell me that I wasn't 100% correct in my prediction. From the link:

"It turns out that Boyle, now a federal judge who declined interview requests about the decision, apparently has plenty of company among local, state and federal law enforcement officials in exercising an abundance of caution about enforcing drug laws in Tulia. The result, according to law enforcement officials and a multitude of residents in Tulia, is that drug dealing in this small town is running rampant, and Tulia’s children are at grave risk."

"CBS-11 News has been told that local, state and federal agencies are staying clear of Tulia because none is eager to subject themselves to similar charges of racism and civil rights lawsuits that would play out once again on a national stage in the largest media outlets. From what I understand, we’re pretty much hands off here,” Tulia Police Lt. Scott Given said. “If we need help, we’re not going to get it.”

"Drug dealing and usage on the streets of Tulia today, contrary to the popularly told media story of this town, have been allowed to grow unchecked for five years, residents, civil rights activists involved in the controversy and patrol officers all agree."

"Local authorities and a number of Tulia residents, among them both black and white citizens, say they believe most of those pardoned were guilty as originally charged and could well be contributing again to the drug problem - but with immunity from arrest this time."

[LPM1888]

If you are that familiar with the case and believe all 38 convicted scumbag drug dealers were pure and innocent as the driven snow, I've got a bridge to sell you.

We're certain you have purchased a lot of imaginary bridges over the years but we're not dumb enough to take them off your hands.