Barry lawyer calls stalking charge 'baseless'
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
July 7, 2009
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| Washington DC Coucilmember Marion Barry (Andrew Harnik/Examiner) |
The woman who accused D.C. Councilman Marion Barry of stalking her was "striking out against" the former mayor over a relationship that had "gone horribly wrong in a number of ways," Barry's attorney said Monday.
Fred Cooke addressed reporters outside the John A. Wilson Building regarding Barry's Saturday night arrest by the U.S. Park Police on misdemeanor stalking charges lodged by Donna Watts, his former girlfriend. Barry stood by but was not allowed to say anything at Cooke's insistence regarding his latest brush with the law.
"Councilmember Barry specifically and vehemently denies stalking anyone in the District of Columbia or at any other time," Cooke said. "We believe that the charge is baseless. We believe that the charge stems from a relationship that has gone horribly wrong in a number of ways and has resulted in one party to that relationship striking out at Mr. Barry and repaying him for some of his kindness, some of his effort to be of assistance to that individual by offering up these charges we believe to be false."
No charges had been formally lodged by the U.S. Attorney's office as of Monday morning, Cooke said. Barry's car, which was impounded after his arrest outside Anacostia Park just before dark Saturday, remained in law enforcement possession.
A court hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
Barry and Watts had planned to spend the July 4th holiday in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Cooke said, but they returned Saturday evening, hours before the former mayor's 8:45 p.m. arrest. The Ward 8 councilman was "traveling on the public streets on his way home" from Watts' house when he was stopped by a park police officer, his lawyer said.
"He was not following anyone," Cooke said.
Last week, Barry had Watts' "confrontational" ex-husband barred from attending an event at City Hall, Cooke said.
Watts, Barry and the park police have offered conflicting accounts of Saturday's events.
