September 24, 2003

36TH SEASON PREMIERE OF "60 MINUTES" FEATURES REPORTS ON ALLEGED RACISM IN TULIA, TEXAS, CONTROVERSIAL EMINENT DOMAIN POLICY AND A MUSICAL SAVANT -- SUNDAY, SEPT. 28 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

60 MINUTES kicks off its 36th season with three unusual reports that are sure to become classics in the annals of the longest running primetime television broadcast in history. The 36th season premiere of 60 MINUTES will be broadcast Sunday, Sept. 28 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

In the lead report, Ed Bradley lands the first major American interview with the person at the center of the grave miscarriage of justice in Tulia, Texas, that made national news. Bradley speaks to the discredited former undercover drug officer Tom Coleman, whom a judge has called racist. The governor pardoned nearly all of the 46 mostly black Tulia residents who were sent to jail as drug dealers solely on the uncorroborated testimony of Coleman, who is now under indictment himself.

Next, Lesley Stahl introduces an unforgettable eight-year-old boy named Rex, whose incredible musical ability coexists with severe physical disabilities that include blindness, a rare combination found in only a handful of people in the world.

In the third story, Mike Wallace investigates controversial eminent domain policies, where the government is forcing private citizens to sell homes and businesses in cases that seem to benefit private rather than public interests.

And finally, Andy Rooney speaks his mind about the 10 Democratic presidential candidates.

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Press Contact: Kevin Tedesco 212/975-2329 kev@cbsnews.com