By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX – A Texas state senator's legislation filed Thursday landed him on "The O'Reilly Factor" news program on Fox News Friday evening.
Sen. John Whitmire's (D-Houston) legislation (SB 1948) is aimed at speeding up the release of more than a dozen persons who were incarcerated during a drug sting in the tiny town of Tulia in 1999.
Whitmire's bill would allow a Swisher County district judge to release the 13 prisoners on bond while the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals deliberates their cases.
During the drug sting, nearly 50 individuals were arrested, 39 of whom were African-Americans. Thirty-eight of them were convicted on the testimony of an undercover law enforcement officer who was later indicted on three counts of perjury for his testimony during the trials.
Program host Bill O'Reilly questioned Whitmire about the case. He noted 32 individuals were arrested "with no corroborating evidence."
"Not a drop," said Whitmire.
Whitmire admitted the arrest appeared to be at least "partially a racial deal," but said the town should not be indicted because some individuals from within the community were the ones who brought the facts to light. He also admitted that media reports about the incident also let some sunshine in on the incident and the arrests.
"I'm not here to justify the actions of any one person. There's enough blame to go around."
While the people in Texas have been responsive to the injustice, Whitmire said, "It wasn't fast enough."
Thus he filed his legislation that will put the release process on a fast track. The bill has been scheduled for hearing in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Monday. Whitmire chairs that committee. Once out of committee, Whitmire said he expects the bill to come to the Senate floor by Wednesday.
"The problem with the criminal justice system is that it's slow at the front end so it doesn't railroad people," said Whitmire.
"Unfortunately, that's the fastest I can make it happen in 30 days," said Whitmire. The legislative session ends June 2.
Should the bill pass both the House and Senate by a two-thirds vote, it would become effective on signature of the governor.
Surely no one would vote against it, mused O'Reilly.
Don't be so sure, warned Whitmire to an incredulous O'Reilly.
"You forward their names to me and I will put them on national TV," said O'Reilly.