On 23 July, 1999 the tiny Texas town of Tulia woke to discover that a tenth of its black population had been arrested. This mass arrest followed a lengthy undercover narcotics sting operation. The entire case rested on the word of the undercover narcotics officer, Tom Coleman, who ran the operation single-handedly. He used no partner, no tape recorder, no video surveillance, no fingerprint evidence and he wrote no notes - apart from those on his leg. No drugs or money were found during the arrests. Thirty-eight defendants were convicted or accepted plea bargains for fear they would get long prison sentences. Of the other eight, seven cases were dismissed and one person died before trial began. The film features an exclusive BBC TV interview with Coleman who has admitted for the first time that he made mistakes during the investigation. Who shamed Tulia and how, and what has happened to justice in the president's home state? Texas Undercover goes deep behind the scenes of one of America's biggest race scandals of the last decade.

For more information on this documentary, and to inquire about its purchase, click here.

Spotlight is a weekly series of investigative reports from around the world, introduced by author and Journalist Mark Hertsgaard.  Mr. Hertsgaard�s latest book is �The Eagle's Shadow: Why America Fascinates and Infuriates the World."

UPDATE

In a story dated 6/16/03, the AP reported that a judge had released on bond 12 of the accused who were still incarcerated pending a ruling by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The release comes while the appeals court considers a recommendation by retired state District Judge Ron Chapman that all the convictions be overturned. A bill passed by Texas legislators last month and signed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry two weeks ago cleared the way for their release. It could take as long as two years for the appeals court to rule. A special prosecutor has said he will dismiss all charges if the court orders new trials. The release doesn't mean the defendants' records have been wiped clean. It likely will be difficult for them to obtain college loans or jobs with a conviction on their records, defense attorneys said. Coleman faces three charges of perjury stemming from his testimony at March evidentiary hearings on four of the cases.

For more information on the latest developments in this case, click here.

RELATED SITES

The William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice
Drug Sense
American Civil Liberties Union