Tribble Is Linked to a Gun Slaying

Brian Tribble, charged in connection with the cocaine intoxication death of former Maryland basketball player Len Bias, has been linked to a gun slaying in northeast Washington, according to papers filed in District of Columbia Superior Court.

The court papers also say that Bias was in Tribble’s apartment shortly before the athlete died June 19, indicating that police may have cleared up some of the mystery of Bias’ movements in the early morning hours of that day.

The court documents, signed by Prince George’s County Circuit Judge Robert J. Woods, ask District of Columbia authorities to subpoena three men who live in the city to appear before the grand jury investigating Bias’ death.

One of the three, Adrian James, is a former D.C. policeman who, according to the court papers, told police that Tribble was responsible for the death of a man who had stolen a safe belonging to Tribble.

The safe was taken in the hours after Bias’ death from the apartment of Julie Walker, a friend of Tribble’s who told police that the safe belonged to Tribble.

James led police to the safe, which was found empty.

The two other men whom Woods asked District authorities to subpoena--Gideon Fobbs and Mark Majors--are friends of Tribble, according to the court papers.

In connection with the investigation of Bias’ death, Tribble has been indicted on four counts: Possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine and possession of PCP.

James told police, according to the court papers, that Tribble “learned the identity of two persons who took the safe and, after a blackmail attempt by one of those two persons, Mr. Tribble either himself or by an agent, had one of those two persons murdered for failing to return the contents of the safe.”

The documents did not reveal the name of the murdered person, but two Washington television stations have identified the victim as Karl Lance Joyner, 30, of northeast Washington, who police say was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds on a junior high school playground in northeast Washington July 7.

Meanwhile, the grand jury has decided not to indict University of Maryland basketball Coach Lefty Driesell and two other men on obstruction-of-justice charges, although the three suggested that Bias’ dormitory room be cleaned shortly after the basketball player had died.

Prosecutor Arthur A. Marshall Jr. said that the advice to clean the dormitory room where Bias collapsed was improper “but there were no corrupt motives involved.”

Besides Driesell, sports agent Lee Fentress and Robert Wagner, Bias’ high school basketball coach, offered similar advice, Marshall said.