60 Minutes Rewind: Tulia, Texas – A Miscarriage of Justice Uncovered
Until the spotlight turned to Tulia, Texas, it was an unremarkable town. That changed when Tom Coleman, an undercover narcotics officer, arrested 46 people, nearly all Black, on cocaine dealing charges, resulting in a combined sentence of 750 years in prison. This remained until the Governor of Texas intervened, pardoning the accused after a judge labeled Coleman a liar who falsified evidence, a thief, and a racist.
Who is Tom Coleman? Coleman, a former rodeo cowboy with a checkered law enforcement history and no experience in undercover narcotics, was hired by the local
In a 1999 operation, 13% of Tulia’s Black adult population was arrested, paraded on local TV, and charged with selling cocaine to Coleman. The local newspaper praised the “cleanup,” but the arrests lacked any tangible evidence of drug dealing—no cocaine, paraphernalia, weapons, or money were found. The convictions relied solely on Coleman’s word.
Lives Shattered Among those arrested was 26-year-old Freddie Brookins Jr., a former high school star with no criminal record, sentenced to 20 years. Thirty-three-year-old Yul Brannon, a sales clerk, was charged with selling $160 worth of cocaine. Billy Wafer, a 45-year-old warehouse foreman, was accused of dealing 2.3 grams of cocaine. Wafer’s case was dismissed when he proved he was at work at the alleged time of the transaction.
Racial Targeting Allegations Coleman’s actions disproportionately affected Tulia’s Black community, leading to accusations of intentional racial targeting. Despite his use of racial slurs, Coleman denied being racist, claiming he used the language to blend in during investigations.
Uncovering the Truth Defendants like Yul Brannon and Tanya White had alibis that contradicted Coleman’s claims. White proved
