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'No More Tulias' Bill Introduced in Congress

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Thu May 26, 2005 at 08:29:23 AM EST
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"No More Tulias: The Law Enforcement Evidentiary Standards Improvement Act of 2005," is being introduced by Rep. Shelia Jackson-Lee (D-TX) and cosponsored by John Conyers (D-MI), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Donald Payne (D-NJ), and Ed Towns (D-NY).

The bill is named after the drug task force scandal in Tulia, Tex in 1999 during which 15 percent of the town’s African American population was arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to decades in prison based on the uncorroborated testimony of a federally funded undercover officer with a record of racial impropriety.

The bill would help put an end to these abuses by enhancing the evidentiary standard required to convict a person for a drug offense, and improving the criteria under which states hire drug task force officers. It would deny federal money to states that do not have laws preventing convictions for drug offenses based solely on uncorroborated testimony.

Texas passed a similar law in 2001, and Grits for Breakfast worked very hard to ensure its passage.

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    'No More Tulias' Bill Introduced in Congress | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: 'No More Tulias' Bill Introduced in Congress (none / 0) (#1)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:21 PM EST
    This law would be an improvement. Personally, I'd like to see cops who arrest people with trivial or bogus justification charged with aggravated kidnapping. In Texas, you can legally shoot somebody to prevent aggravated kidnapping, so my idea probably won't be enacted...

    Re: 'No More Tulias' Bill Introduced in Congress (none / 0) (#2)
    by TomK on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:23 PM EST
    I'm sorry. This bill is just democrats playing politics with the drug war. They want the republicans to vote against the 'no more tulias' act so that they can gain percentage against republicans among blacks, the same way republicans make the democrats vote against 'keep drugs out of preschools' titled bills. It's just politics attached to the title of the bill. These senators aren't serious here.

    Re: 'No More Tulias' Bill Introduced in Congress (none / 0) (#3)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:23 PM EST
    These senators aren't serious here.
    They are house reps, not senators. There's exactly one black senator; Barack Obama. Please explain why the Republicans have to vote against this anyway? Just because they are Republicans?

    'No More Tulias' Bill Introduced in Congress | 3 comments (3 topical)