Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 30, 1990 TAG: 9005300198
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
In an hour-long interview with The Washington Post, Barry also dismissed reports that he was considering a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, and expressed confidence about the outcome of his scheduled June 4 trial on drug and perjury charges. If he does not win an acquittal outright, Barry said, he is certain that 12 jurors will not vote unanimously to convict.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson denied a request from Barry's attorneys Tuesday to split the case into two trials. The judge gave defense attorneys a small victory of sorts by encouraging prosecutors to turn over a list of trial witnesses and their statements to the defense by Thursday. Jackson's rulings virtually assure that jury selection will start June 4.
"I think the prosecutors know," Barry said, "that in this town all it takes is one juror saying, `I'm not going to convict Marion Barry. I don't care what you say.' "
In the interview, conducted in his high-ceilinged office in the District Building, Barry seemed composed and confident about his legal and political prospects, which have been entwined since his Jan. 18 arrest in an FBI sting operation. At various points in the interview, the mayor joked about some of the candidates in the mayor's race, reflected on how his family has been affected by his legal troubles, and expressed determination to go to court to fight the charges against him.
At the same time, Barry suggested he could change his mind about a plea agreement and said he could live with the possibility of not winning a fourth term to the office he has held since 1979.
Barry's acknowledgement of drug use came amid a slashing attack on the U.S. attorney's office.
"I've seen this videotape, and the tape is more damaging to the government than to me," he said. "It shows they bought the liquor, they did everything there. They had me ingest cocaine, crack cocaine, which could have killed me. . . . I could have been dead now, with 70, 80, 90 percent pure cocaine."
The mayor, testing themes that might be advanced in his trial defense, portrayed himself Tuesday as an individual who had been "hounded, harassed, vilified, slandered and everything else under the sun," particularly by federal law enforcement officials who he contended have attempted to alter the shape of District politics.
"The prosecutors have been dipping and dabbling in the politics of Washington for a long time, and it's unconscionable," Barry said. "And then to try to kill me, it's unprecedented."
The mayor, who was indicted May 10 on charges of engaging in a conspiracy to possess drugs from 1984 to 1990, said he understands that not all of the 19 alleged co-conspirators are cooperating with the prosecutors, and that those who have cooperated may not have provided substantial, damaging information.
"What's the worst they could say, that I used cocaine with them?" Barry said. "I think if you talk to most Washingtonians - even my supporters have some inklings that they may think I may have done that [used cocaine] because of all the deluge of information."
by CNB