
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 10, 1990                   TAG: 9007100338
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES                                LENGTH: Short

NAACP CHIEF SAYS BLACKS HARASSED

Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the NAACP, Monday accused federal prosecutors of harassment and selective prosecution of District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and many other black officials while ignoring more serious crimes by wealthy, well-connected whites.

Hooks said in an interview that "overzealous" prosecutors had spent millions of dollars pursuing black politicians instead of "those lying, conniving, thieving savings and loan officials who robbed this country blind."

It was the strongest public statement on the issue to date by the leader of the nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization, and his views were echoed at the NAACP's 81st national convention.

The 3,000 delegates loudly applauded Hooks Sunday night when, in a speech, he accused prosecutors and anti-corruption task forces of bias, but did not name any black officials he contends are victims. Delegates interviewed Monday were unanimous in agreeing that Barry and other black officials have been unfairly treated.

Prosecutors should reorder their priorities, Hooks said. In Barry's case, "you look at all the time they spent investigating him, and yet all they could charge him with was drug use."

- Washington Post

by CNB