Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 Source: Associated Press (Wire) Copyright: 2002 Associated Press Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/tulia.htm (Tulia, Texas) CHARGES EXPECTED TO BE DROPPED AGAINST LAST TULIA DEFENDANT LUBBOCK, Texas -- Attorneys say charges are expected to be dropped next week against the last defendant accused in the 1999 Tulia drug bust, which drew national attention after critics said it was racially motivated. Zuri Bossett, a 22-year-old single mother who lives in Amarillo and is eight months pregnant, was accused of selling 1.4 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer three years ago. Her trial was scheduled for Tuesday, the anniversary of the day 43 people were indicted for selling drugs to officer Tom Coleman. Swisher County District Attorney Terry McEachern declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but confirmed in Friday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that the charges were expected to be dismissed. Of those indicted in the bust, 37 were black, three were Hispanic and three were white, according to the Swisher County Clerk's Office. The U.S. Department of Justice investigated the bust and is still reviewing information. Bossett's attorney, Jeff Blackburn, said his client was preparing to enter college on a basketball scholarship when she was accused of selling cocaine. She faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted for the second-degree felony. "I can go on with my life now and not be scared every day that I'm going to get arrested and taken away from my children," Bossett said Thursday at a news conference in front of the Hale County Courthouse. Blackburn called the agreement to dismiss Bossett's charges a "turning point in our general campaign to overturn these convictions and release everybody from legal problems because of Tom Coleman." Coleman has been criticized for having no corroborating evidence to support the drug busts he made. Coleman has said a higher proportion of blacks were arrested only because he was working in the black community. Eleven of those arrested in Tulia were found guilty and another 17 accepted plea agreements. Blackburn said 14 people arrested during the raid remain in prison. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth