Grand Jury Criticizes Maryland

The Prince George’s County grand jury investigating the death of Len Bias, University of Maryland basketball star, has issued a report strongly critical of the university’s athletic program and the way the school polices drug use on campus.

In the report, the university is accused of running an athletic program based “to a large extent on the talents of students who had a less than reasonable chance of graduating.”

Many athletes recruited by the university had poor academic records in high school, the report said, and coaches and administrators often have used “questionable tactics” to keep them academically eligible.

The report also criticized the university for not enforcing laws against illegal drug use by students. The report accused the campus police of doing a poor job in arresting and prosecuting drug offenders on campus, saying that only four students out of an enrollment of 35,000 are arrested on average each year for illegal drug use on campus.

Among the recommendations of the grand jury was one to authorize searches of dormitory rooms and to conduct random drug testing of all students when “probable cause” exists.