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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 25, 1990                   TAG: 9007250454
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

BARRY DRIVER'S MEMORY CLOUDED

Marion Barry's chauffeur says he doesn't recall anything about his 12 years of driving the mayor around - except that he didn't take him to an alleged drug pickup site on Sept. 7, 1988.

Testifying for the defense in Barry's drug and perjury trial, Walter Bracey said Tuesday he vividly recalled driving Barry to the grand opening of a supermarket that morning, then taking the mayor directly to a meeting with city fire department officials.

A government witness, Lydia Reid Pearson, has testified that she handed Barry cocaine and a city job application at a municipal building shortly after 10 a.m. that day.

Bracey testified that he drove Barry to the supermarket opening at about 9:40 a.m., stayed there with the mayor for 45 minutes, then took him to the fire department meeting.

But beyond that, he said, his memory is blank.

"Is it your testimony that you have no specific recollection of any specific date where you took Mr. Barry to any specific place other than you took Mr. Barry to the Safeway on Sept. 7?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Retchin asked Bracey during cross-examination.

"That's right," Bracey replied.

"Out of all your days with Mr. Barry, that's the only day you remember?" Retchin continued.

"That's correct," Bracey said.

The chauffeur also testified that he never drove Barry to private residences and took him to hotels "only on official business."

Numerous prosecution witnesses have testified that they used drugs with Barry in private residences and in hotels during business hours on weekdays. Bracey testified that he has served for most of his 12 years as Barry's daytime driver, working from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Bracey said he couldn't recall his activities on Dec. 22, 1988, the day that Barry's ties to convicted drug dealer Charles Lewis became public. Retchin said that event marked "an important day in the mayor's life."

Defense attorney Kenneth Mundy said at the end of Tuesday's proceedings that he expects to call three or four additional witnesses; 13 have testified for the defense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Roberts said he may call two or three rebuttal witnesses.

by CNB