Gregg, Long Tell Prosecutors of Bias’ Drug Use

Two teammates of Maryland basketball star Len Bias have told authorities that they snorted cocaine with Bias for about three hours on the morning Bias died of cocaine intoxication, the Washington Post reported.

In addition, Maryland players David Gregg and Terry Long said Bias ignored warnings from Brian Tribble that he was using too much of the drug. Tribble is charged with supplying the cocaine that killed Bias.

Gregg and Long gave prosecutors the first eyewitness accounts of the hours leading to the June 19 death of Bias.

Long and Gregg also said Bias had used cocaine “on several occasions” before June 19, despite reports that Bias had never used cocaine before that day.

The two players said they were asleep in the dormitory suite they shared with Bias when Bias and Tribble awakened them at 3 a.m. and offered to share cocaine to celebrate Bias’ selection by the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Assn. draft.

They said they inhaled the cocaine until about 6 a.m. through cut straws and by dipping their fingers into the white powder, the Post reported.

Tribble, 24, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to go on trial Nov. 17. If convicted, he could be sentenced to more than 40 years in prison.

But lawyers from the county public defender’s office, which handles most of the drug cases in Prince George’s County, said judges rarely sentence defendants to such long terms. A maximum sentence is even less likely when the accused, like Tribble, has no prior arrests or convictions for drugs, they said.