District of Columbia Council Member Marion Barry scored within the legal limit on a breathalyzer test despite appearing too impaired to drive, according to a U.S. Secret Service police officer who testified during the first day of the former mayor’s trial for driving under the influence.
The 71-year-old wearing a charcoal gray suit, powder blue shirt and red paisley tie, appeared confident at the defendant’s table, occasionally whispering to his lawyer Frederick Cooke while Cooke cross-examined witnesses. Barry is also accused of misuse of license plates and operating an unregistered vehicle. The trial will resume today.
Three Secret Service officers testified that Barry was impaired when he was stopped allegedly running a red light near the White House shortly after 3 a.m. last September.
Arresting officer Ryan Monteiro said he pulled Barry over after he saw the 1995 Camero stop at a green light, back up on a one-way street, then drive through the intersection after the light turned red.
Monteiro said that he smelled alcohol on Barry and his speech was slurred.
“’Do you know who I am?,’” Monteiro said Barry asked him. “’Do you know what’s going to happen? I don’t like this.’”
The 24-year-old New Hampshire native said he didn’t know Barry and didn’t think anything of Barry’s statements.
“I get that a lot,” Monteiro told the prosecutor.
Officer Marie Wadford testified that Barry failed three field sobriety tests before police handcuffed him and drove him to station for another breath test.
With some difficulty, Barry blew into the breathalyzer machine, but the results registered a .02, well below the legal limit of .08.
Because the score did not comport with Barry’s actions, she asked him to take a urine test. Barry refused.
Last December, U.S. Park Police stopped Barry in Southeast for driving too slowly. He was charged with misuse of temporary tags and operating an unregistered vehicle.
Barry served time on misdemeanor drug charges back in 1990 and then was re-elected as mayor after his release.
