Continued from Part I
I returned to Roseview with some information, but a lot more questions. The Dallas DEA agent told me Coomer was part of a group of narcotics agents who thought that it was necessary to use drugs in order to do your job. Several of these guys became addicts themselves, and he believed Coomer was one of them. He said most of them were no longer cops. He wondered, and so did I, why Roseview hired someone with this kind of reputation.
I continued interviewing the clients for the attorneys who hired me. How could one undercover officer, operating with no help from anyone else, be successful with such a diverse group? Some of the defendants came from the most well to do families in town, others from the middle class, and some from the dregs of society. Until ten months ago Coomer and his girlfriend were strangers to Roseview. This just didn’t sit right with me.
The media-blitz continued and the anti-drug sentiment in the community was stirred to a boil. The trials began and the prosecution was scoring big points. During the first trail, one indigent mope was given ninety-nine years to serve for simple possession. He was charged with possessing a quantity of cocaine that weighed less than a paper clip. His attorney had no previous criminal defense experience. All of the clients who I interviewed told me Coomer, and his girlfriend injected cocaine, and smoked marijuana right along with them during their encounters. Many of them said Coomer provided the drugs they used. This story was repeated by all the defendants, young, old, white, black, rich, and poor. I saw a lot of smoke and I knew that there must be a fire burning somewhere.
I got a late night call at my home from an anonymous source. The mystery caller said that Coomer had just recently gotten a large dragon tattooed on the inside of his right forearm. The caller said it was put there to cover needle tracks. The next day I checked with the only two tattoo parlors in town, and I found Mark Gwaltney, the artist who painted the dragon.
Mark told me that just about a week ago a guy came into his shop and picked out a long dragon tattoo. He said that the guy told him he was on probation and he needed a long tattoo to cover up some needle tracks. Gwaltney told me he looked at the guy’s arm and told him he could do it.
“I really didn’t think that much about it until I saw the guy’s picture in the newspaper. When I found out he was a cop, I nearly freaked. I wanted to tell somebody, but this guy was a cop, so who could I tell?” Gwaltney said.
I took a sworn statement from Gwaltney and told him he would probably have to testify in court in the near future. He was a little nervous about testifying, but said he would.
I gave this information to Harry Beal. He was a skillful defense attorney, and one of the attorneys who used my services. His client was next on the docket. Harry used some of the background information I had obtained in Garland, and the sworn statement of Gwaltney as he cross-examined Steve Coomer. Coomer was taken by complete surprise. He was visibly shaken. Harry had opened “Pandora’s Box”.
Judge T. Erskin Ross ordered Coomer to take off his jacket and roll up the sleeve of his shirt and show his arm to the court. Much protesting ensued but to no avail. After the attorneys for both sides had a lengthy conversation at the bench, Coomer was allowed to show the judge his arm in chambers.
Judge Ross ordered his probation officer Ken Avant, to investigate the allegations of drug use by undercover officer Steve Coomer. Probation officers often act as the investigative arm of the court when the judge feels there is a need. The Dallas press picked up the story and started running an investigative feature that was not nearly as kind to Steve Coomer as the Roseview paper had been. The evidence in the case before the court went to the jury and Beal’s defendant was acquitted. The whole town seemed to be in turmoil.
Ken Avant caught me as I was leaving the courthouse.
“I want everything you’ve got on Steve Coomer. My judge wants to know everything.”
I called the attorneys who hired me and they told me to turn the entire report over to Avant.
“Ken, if you have any questions about the report just give me a call. I’ll be in my office all afternoon.” I left and went to my office to make some more calls. I knew we struck a nerve and this might loosen some tongues. The rest of the afternoon flew by. I was about to leave when the phone rang. It was Ken Avant.
“You’ll never guess what happened to me after you left.”
“You’re probably right, why don’t you tell me?” I said.
“I called the chief and asked if I could come and interview Coomer about the allegations made in court today. He told me he and Coomer would be at my office no later than 4:30. I was right in the middle of reading your report when the phone rang. The caller did not identify himself, but it sure sounded like Coomer to me.” Ken said.
“Well, what did he have to say?” I asked.
“That’s the weird part. He said if I knew what was good for me, I would use my influence with the judge wisely. Then he hung up.”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“I went in and told the judge about it. He was really upset, but we couldn’t prove who it was so he told me to really press the issue. I waited at my office until after 5:00, but Coomer and the chief didn’t show.”
“Big surprise right?” I asked.
“You haven’t heard anything yet. I went down to my car and started to leave the parking lot and my left front wheel fell off. I got out and looked at my parking space and all of the lug nuts were lying on the ground.”
“I guess we really hit a homerun with our little surprise in court today.” I said. “How did you get home?”
“I put my tire and wheel back on and drove to the house. I was really pissed, but it just keeps getting better. When I got home the phone was ringing. I answered, and the same anonymous person who called the office asked me if I made it home O.K. I told him yes, and he said I was lucky. He warned me again to use my influence with the judge properly. I assured him I would be very thorough and fair in my investigation. He hung up before I really got to tell him what was going to happen if I caught him.” Ken said.
“Man, I can’t believe these people. You be careful. Let me know if you need any help.” I said.
“Okay, you do the same. We’ll get the bikes out this Saturday afternoon if the weather holds and see if we can’t cold trail Mr. Coomer for a while. I need to get to know him a lot better.” Ken said.
“That sounds good, see you Saturday.”
Ken just lived two blocks behind me and after the strange events of the afternoon, we all decided to take extra precautions. I called the attorneys and told them what happened. Ken prepared to send his family to stay with relatives. Several of the attorneys did also. I loaded several shotguns and placed them strategically throughout my house. The remainder of the week flew by.
I continued interviewing the clients for the attorneys who hired me. How could one undercover officer, operating with no help from anyone else, be successful with such a diverse group? Some of the defendants came from the most well to do families in town, others from the middle class, and some from the dregs of society. Until ten months ago Coomer and his girlfriend were strangers to Roseview. This just didn’t sit right with me.
The media-blitz continued and the anti-drug sentiment in the community was stirred to a boil. The trials began and the prosecution was scoring big points. During the first trail, one indigent mope was given ninety-nine years to serve for simple possession. He was charged with possessing a quantity of cocaine that weighed less than a paper clip. His attorney had no previous criminal defense experience. All of the clients who I interviewed told me Coomer, and his girlfriend injected cocaine, and smoked marijuana right along with them during their encounters. Many of them said Coomer provided the drugs they used. This story was repeated by all the defendants, young, old, white, black, rich, and poor. I saw a lot of smoke and I knew that there must be a fire burning somewhere.
I got a late night call at my home from an anonymous source. The mystery caller said that Coomer had just recently gotten a large dragon tattooed on the inside of his right forearm. The caller said it was put there to cover needle tracks. The next day I checked with the only two tattoo parlors in town, and I found Mark Gwaltney, the artist who painted the dragon.
Mark told me that just about a week ago a guy came into his shop and picked out a long dragon tattoo. He said that the guy told him he was on probation and he needed a long tattoo to cover up some needle tracks. Gwaltney told me he looked at the guy’s arm and told him he could do it.
“I really didn’t think that much about it until I saw the guy’s picture in the newspaper. When I found out he was a cop, I nearly freaked. I wanted to tell somebody, but this guy was a cop, so who could I tell?” Gwaltney said.
I took a sworn statement from Gwaltney and told him he would probably have to testify in court in the near future. He was a little nervous about testifying, but said he would.
I gave this information to Harry Beal. He was a skillful defense attorney, and one of the attorneys who used my services. His client was next on the docket. Harry used some of the background information I had obtained in Garland, and the sworn statement of Gwaltney as he cross-examined Steve Coomer. Coomer was taken by complete surprise. He was visibly shaken. Harry had opened “Pandora’s Box”.
Judge T. Erskin Ross ordered Coomer to take off his jacket and roll up the sleeve of his shirt and show his arm to the court. Much protesting ensued but to no avail. After the attorneys for both sides had a lengthy conversation at the bench, Coomer was allowed to show the judge his arm in chambers.
Judge Ross ordered his probation officer Ken Avant, to investigate the allegations of drug use by undercover officer Steve Coomer. Probation officers often act as the investigative arm of the court when the judge feels there is a need. The Dallas press picked up the story and started running an investigative feature that was not nearly as kind to Steve Coomer as the Roseview paper had been. The evidence in the case before the court went to the jury and Beal’s defendant was acquitted. The whole town seemed to be in turmoil.
Ken Avant caught me as I was leaving the courthouse.
“I want everything you’ve got on Steve Coomer. My judge wants to know everything.”
I called the attorneys who hired me and they told me to turn the entire report over to Avant.
“Ken, if you have any questions about the report just give me a call. I’ll be in my office all afternoon.” I left and went to my office to make some more calls. I knew we struck a nerve and this might loosen some tongues. The rest of the afternoon flew by. I was about to leave when the phone rang. It was Ken Avant.
“You’ll never guess what happened to me after you left.”
“You’re probably right, why don’t you tell me?” I said.
“I called the chief and asked if I could come and interview Coomer about the allegations made in court today. He told me he and Coomer would be at my office no later than 4:30. I was right in the middle of reading your report when the phone rang. The caller did not identify himself, but it sure sounded like Coomer to me.” Ken said.
“Well, what did he have to say?” I asked.
“That’s the weird part. He said if I knew what was good for me, I would use my influence with the judge wisely. Then he hung up.”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“I went in and told the judge about it. He was really upset, but we couldn’t prove who it was so he told me to really press the issue. I waited at my office until after 5:00, but Coomer and the chief didn’t show.”
“Big surprise right?” I asked.
“You haven’t heard anything yet. I went down to my car and started to leave the parking lot and my left front wheel fell off. I got out and looked at my parking space and all of the lug nuts were lying on the ground.”
“I guess we really hit a homerun with our little surprise in court today.” I said. “How did you get home?”
“I put my tire and wheel back on and drove to the house. I was really pissed, but it just keeps getting better. When I got home the phone was ringing. I answered, and the same anonymous person who called the office asked me if I made it home O.K. I told him yes, and he said I was lucky. He warned me again to use my influence with the judge properly. I assured him I would be very thorough and fair in my investigation. He hung up before I really got to tell him what was going to happen if I caught him.” Ken said.
“Man, I can’t believe these people. You be careful. Let me know if you need any help.” I said.
“Okay, you do the same. We’ll get the bikes out this Saturday afternoon if the weather holds and see if we can’t cold trail Mr. Coomer for a while. I need to get to know him a lot better.” Ken said.
“That sounds good, see you Saturday.”
Ken just lived two blocks behind me and after the strange events of the afternoon, we all decided to take extra precautions. I called the attorneys and told them what happened. Ken prepared to send his family to stay with relatives. Several of the attorneys did also. I loaded several shotguns and placed them strategically throughout my house. The remainder of the week flew by.
To be continued.
