Vernal Coleman
The Boston Globe
Seattle, WA, United States
Contact Vernal
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Vernal:
State licensing loopholes keep thousands of bad drivers on the road
A Globe investigation: DMVs across the US have failed to revoke the licenses of dangerous drivers, leading to avoidable crashes and deaths. → Read More
Explore the data: DMVs routinely fail to track and sideline many of the nation’s most dangerous drivers
There are major gaps when it comes to holding accountable drivers, including commercial truck drivers, who commit serious traffic violations outside of their home state. → Read More
Prosecutors drop case against man who spent 41 years in prison for murder
James Watson, 61, was released from prison this spring following revelations of police and prosecutorial misconduct. → Read More
Boston will pay $3.1 million to man freed after wrongful conviction
Frederick Clay was exonerated after investigators determined that a shoddy Boston Police Department investigation, reliant on a witness who was hypnotized by the police, led to his wrongful conviction. → Read More
Virus outbreak at state prison prompts renewed calls for release of vulnerable inmates
Officials and advocates say the trend is alarming and marks the virus' return to prisons. Facilities had weathered virus outbreaks earlier this year and cases had dipped significantly this summer. → Read More
Prepared for unrest, police in Mass. report few disruptions on Election Night
As national election results trickled in and temperatures dropped into the 20s Tuesday night, many, it seemed, chose to wait out their anxieties at home. → Read More
Nine key takeaways from the Globe’s ‘Blind Spot’ investigation
The Globe uncovered the hidden dangers on America’s roads, and how the government fails to protect drivers. → Read More
ACLU accuses Boston police of violating rights with ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ arrests
The ACLU of Massachusetts alleged that Boston police broke state and federal laws last summer during “Operation Clean Sweep,” as the nonpartisan rights group released videos that show police rounding up homeless people and drug users near Boston Medical Center. → Read More
Protesters call for city to reallocate police funding, remove officers from schools
Over the course of several hours, a crowd of perhaps 500 wound down Washington Street into Downtown Crossing, chanting “Marty, we’re coming!" — a reference to Mayor Martin J. Walsh. → Read More
Peaceful demonstrations in Boston and Providence remember Breonna Taylor, demand racial justice
Demonstrators gathered by the hundreds in Boston and by the thousands in Providence on Friday, peacefully demanding justice for Black Americans killed by police on the day that Breonna Taylor would have turned 27. → Read More
Metco leaders denounce police killings
Joined by dozens of school district superintendents, the Metco CEO called on education leaders to reexamine efforts to increase staff diversity, reduce disparities in student discipline, and generally give student participants in the program needed support. → Read More
Thousands in Boston peacefully denounce killings of Black Americans
“This is our community. You will not come here and break up and tear up Black-owned businesses.” → Read More
State’s highest court refuses to release prisoners due to coronavirus
The court noted that the state’s Department of Correction has followed federal health guidelines and is conducting extensive testing in its facilities. → Read More
Live updates: Boston protest over George Floyd’s death planned for 5 p.m. Tuesday
At 5 p.m. on Tuesday, two groups — Black Lives Matter and Violence in Boston Inc. — will lead a “die-in” at a major Dorchester intersection near Franklin Park. Participants then are planning to cross Blue Hill Avenue and head into Franklin Park for a vigil. → Read More
A peaceful day, then violence erupts
A stirring protest erupted into the worst rioting in the city in recent memory. → Read More
Judge orders Bristol sheriff to administer coronavirus tests to all federal detainees, staff
US District Court Judge William Young issued the order in an ongoing class action suit filed on behalf of immigrant detainees who allege overcrowding and concerns related to the spread of COVID-19 within the facility. → Read More
As calls for release continue, extent of outbreaks behind bars remains unclear
Testing inside prisons remains uneven and reporting of outbreaks is inconsistent. → Read More
‘We are all scared.’ Audio recording sheds light on Bristol County jail melee
Moments after the Friday night altercation inside a Bristol County jail, detainees made pleas for help in a series of harried phone calls. → Read More
Detainees detail melee with Bristol County sheriff over coronavirus testing
Attorneys for detainees at the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center are seeking to question Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson under oath about a recent, high-profile melee at the facility over coronavirus testing, according to a motion filed Monday in federal court. → Read More
Two South Shore communities stand out with the state’s highest number of coronavirus cases
In the past month, coronavirus-related deaths in Brockton surged from single digits to 115. Over 1,800 residents are being treated. The nearby Randolph, where 26 people have died of coronavirus complications, also has one of the state’s highest rates. → Read More