Vernal Coleman
I’m a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter based in Chicago who writes about, among other things, law enforcement and veterans’ issues.
Need to Get in Touch?
If you have a story to tell, I have an ear for you — especially if you can shed light on how policies enacted in Washington are harming people in the Chicago area. If you know of or are the victim of an injustice, I want to hear from you.
What I Cover
I currently cover the Midwest, focusing on Chicago and on how policies adopted by the Trump administration are affecting people, businesses and the government. I’m interested in law enforcement, civil rights and veterans affairs.
My Background
I’ve been with ProPublica’s Midwest bureau since 2020, and I’ve been a reporter for nearly 20 years. In this job, I’ve written stories on a range of topics, everything from failing hospitals to lax oversight of the gun industry.
I’m based in Chicago, but I’m on the lookout for stories anywhere in the Midwest. The ripples of the policies enacted in Washington, D.C., by the second Trump administration are far-reaching and will affect people wherever they might live. So we will go wherever the story takes us.
Before ProPublica, I worked for several news publications, with stints from Seattle to Newark, New Jersey. While working for The Seattle Times, I covered the city’s homelessness crisis and other issues closely tied to it, like drug abuse and housing, and the local government’s attempts to address them.
I later joined The Boston Globe’s Quick Strike investigative team. In 2021, we won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for a series that exposed systematic failures by state and local governments to share information that could have kept dangerous drivers off the road.
Medical Care and Politics Go Hand in Hand at a Chicago Safety Net Hospital
Under the leadership of CEO Tim Egan, Chicago’s Roseland Community Hospital has awarded business to his friends and acquaintances, employees have donated to his political funds and he has appeared in a campaign ad for the state’s comptroller.
Even When a Cop Is Killed With an Illegally Purchased Weapon, the Gun Store’s Name Is Kept Secret
A 2003 law pushed by the gun industry limits the information shared by federal agents and shields gun shops from public scrutiny, but ProPublica was able to identify the store that sold the gun used in the shooting of a Chicago police officer.
Inside the Notorious Gun Shop Linked to Hundreds of Chicago Guns
The story of one Indiana store demonstrates how the more than 60,000 gun retailers in America have little financial incentive to say no to questionable buyers and face limited penalties for failing to prevent illegal transactions.
The Office That Investigates Disparities in Veterans’ Care Is Being “Liquidated”
The closure effectively hobbles the VA’s efforts to investigate and eliminate long-standing racial inequities that the department itself has acknowledged. “The consequences will be dire, wide-reaching and deadly,” an advocate for Black veterans said.
Senators Demand Transparency on Canceled Veterans Affairs Contracts
Following a ProPublica investigation into how DOGE had developed an error-prone AI tool to determine which VA contracts should be killed, a trio of lawmakers said the Trump administration continues to “stonewall” their requests for details.
Inside the AI Prompts DOGE Used to “Munch” Contracts Related to Veterans’ Health
Experts who reviewed the code for ProPublica found numerous and troubling flaws in the system, providing a disturbing glimpse into how the Trump administration is allowing artificial intelligence to guide critical cuts in services.
DOGE Developed Error-Prone AI Tool to “Munch” Veterans Affairs Contracts
We obtained records showing how a Department of Government Efficiency staffer with no medical experience used artificial intelligence to identify which VA contracts to kill. “AI is absolutely the wrong tool for this,” one expert said.
Democratic Lawmakers Blast Trump Administration’s VA Cuts After ProPublica Investigation
The lawmakers also accused Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins of stonewalling their efforts to learn more about agency cuts and their effects. “There are real-life dangerous impacts for veterans,” Rep. Chris Deluzio said.
Millions of People Depend on the Great Lakes’ Water Supply. Trump Decimated the Lab Protecting It.
The Trump administration’s slashing of budgets and staff have Great Lakes scientists concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.
Have You Been Affected by Changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs? Tell Us About It.
Have you experienced setbacks in your care or benefits amid the changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs? ProPublica wants to hear from you.
Internal VA Emails Reveal How Trump Cuts Jeopardize Veterans’ Care, Including To “Life-Saving Cancer Trials”
Despite a congressional mandate to expand care for veterans, internal Veterans Affairs messages obtained by ProPublica paint a stark portrait of how chaotic cost cutting has already imperiled tests of treatments for cancer, opioid addiction and more.
Under Pressure From Trump, ICE Is Pushing Legal Boundaries
Confrontations with judges are grabbing attention, but more quietly a pattern of questionable arrests shows the extent to which the administration is willing to test norms and laws.
Amid Increasing Domestic Violence, Illinois Struggles to Review Fatalities
Four years after the state called for a network of domestic violence review panels, only seven counties have joined committees. Glaringly absent from the program: Cook County, home to Chicago and about 40% of the state’s population.
In Five Years, Chicago Has Barely Made Progress on Its Court-Ordered Police Reforms. Here’s Why.
Chicago police agreed to judicial oversight in 2019. Since then, a series of mayors and police chiefs let efforts languish and no one in a position of oversight has pushed forcefully to keep the process on track, WTTW News and ProPublica found.