Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 11, 1990 TAG: 9006110077
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Barry, 54, has told advisers he will abandon his hopes for a fourth, four-year term in an effort to restart stalled plea-bargain talks in his cocaine possession and perjury case.
"He knows that his re-election plans represent one of his best bargaining chips," said one source familiar with Barry's thinking. "This is a move he hopes will break the logjam around the plea talks."
The mayor has pleaded innocent to 10 misdemeanor cocaine possession charges, one misdemeanor cocaine conspiracy charge and three felony counts of lying to a grand jury about his alleged drug use.
Barry met with his top campaign officials and fund-raisers Sunday night, but it could not be determined immediately what happened at the meeting. One source had said in advance that it was expected the mayor "will tell us that we are out of work."
The plea discussions, which started more than two weeks ago, broke down last week with U.S. Attorney Jay B. Stephens insisting that Barry plead guilty to a felony charge and the mayor only willing to consider a misdemeanor plea.
A guilty plea to any of the perjury charges probably would result in Barry doing jail time, since federal sentencing guidelines are very strict and implicit in recommending incarceration in such cases. In that even, he could not continue to hold office or run for re-election.
By taking himself out of the mayor's race, Barry hopes to persuade Stephens to relax his demands for a felony plea, sources close to the mayor said.
All of the sources commented on their private contacts with the mayor only on the condition they not be identified by name.
"Right now, he feels this is the best he can get," one source said. "It guarantees him nothing, but there is a hope that if he isn't running again, Stephens might reconsider his stance."
by CNB