North Secretary Says She’s Overwhelmed by Her Role : Secretary ‘Overwhelmed’ by Attention to Iran Role

A smiling Fawn Hall, a part-time model who worked as Lt. Col. Oliver L. North’s secretary, said today that she feels “nervous” but “famous” in her new role as a key figure in the Iran- contra scandal.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had so many cameras aimed at me,” joked Hall, 27, as she stood outside the office of her attorney, Plato Cacheris.

“One of my friends said, ‘Andy Warhol once said that everyone is famous for 15 minutes.’ I kind of feel like that right now,” Hall said with a laugh.

Cacheris began the brief session with reporters on the steps of his town house office by saying: “This is not a press conference. Miss Hall is here in response to your numerous requests for photographs.”

Hall, who became North’s secretary at the National Security Council four years ago, has told investigators that at North’s request she altered four NSC memos last fall on the sale of arms to Iran and spent an afternoon with North shredding other memos, sources said.

The sources said Hall, who has received a promise of immunity, also described carrying computer messages from the NSC offices to North on Nov. 25--the day Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III announced North’s dismissal.

In recent days, pictures of Hall have appeared in newspapers and on television nationwide in conjunction with stories about her, North, the memos and the Iran-contra affair.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Hall said when asked how she felt about all the attention she was receiving. “It’s different.”

While North’s secretary, Hall reportedly had a 15-month romance with Arturo Cruz Jr.--son of the Nicaraguan contra leader. They broke up last Thanksgiving--about the same time the Iran-Contra affair became public.