Barry escapes jail time once more

From the Washington Post; Marion Barry, the District of Columbia’s perennial repeat offender, escaped jail time again;

Barry, 71, was sentenced by Robinson in March 2006 to three years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges. He could have been jailed for up to 18 months after admitting that he failed to file returns covering six years, 1999 to 2004. In giving him probation last year, Robinson ordered that he obey the law and file any outstanding tax returns.

Prosecutors first alerted Robinson in February that Barry had failed to file his 2005 tax returns on time. Barry (D-8th Ward) did not dispute the basic allegations the prosecutors made. It was only after they went to court that he filed the federal and local returns.

That’s just his most recent dust-up. He’s been arrested in Federal parks in the area numerous times after closing hours, at times with a “powdery substance” in his possession. After the initial reports in the local media, the story just dies without the public being informed of the outcome. Until now.

The prosecutors have him cold on tax evasion, but apparently he has a judge on his side. This one is Deborah A. Robinson, a local magistrate since 1988. Wonder what Barry has on her. How long do you figure it’d take for Magistrate Robinson to lock you or me for seven years of tax delinquency?

It’s bad enough that residents of DC’s Southeast see some value in having Barry represent them on the city council, but when the judiciary protects repeat and constant offenders – something is really rotten in the nation’s capitol. Besides Marion Barry

Category: Politics