Pubdate: Mon, 28 Jan 2002
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2002 The Dallas Morning News
Contact:  http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Redford Givens
Note: From DMN Cyberletters
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption)

FAKE-DRUG CASES GIVE DALLAS A BAD NAME

Texas is getting plenty of publicity around the country - all of it bad - 
because of renegade Dallas narcotics officers with a hatred for Hispanics 
and no respect for the law.

Police Chief Terrell Bolton's inane claim that his officers arrested people 
who were trying to peddle phony cocaine and methamphetamine doesn't pass 
the smell test because anybody with an ounce of sense knows it would be 
instant suicide to peddle Sheetrock to any serious drug dealer.

This case reminds a body of a similar Texas drug scandal where a narcotics 
officer named Tom Coleman rounded up over 40 black citizens in Tulia and 
sent them off to prison on his word alone.

It's time to re-evaluate victimless drug crimes where people can be sent to 
prison on the mere words of crooked cops.

One can only wonder how many thousands of completely innocent people are 
doing time for "drugs" in Texas prisons.

REDFORD GIVENS, San Francisco, Calif.
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