Evidence Held Insufficient to Charge Andrew Young

A federal prosecutor said Wednesday that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute Mayor Andrew Young or other city officials for obstruction of justice in the handling of drug allegations against civil rights activist Julian Bond.

U.S. Atty. Robert Barr said his office is continuing to investigate allegations of possession and distribution of illegal drugs by several prominent Atlanta residents.

He declined to identify the targets of the drug investigation, which began after Alice Bond went to police on March 19 and reported that her husband used cocaine regularly.

Bond, a former state senator and current president of the NAACP in Atlanta, has denied drug use and has not been charged with any crime, although Mrs. Bond said in a tape recording of a police interview that drug dealers fed cocaine to her husband “like milk to a baby.”

Will Not Speculate

Barr would not speculate on when his office would wrap up its investigation or whether a federal grand jury would hear more evidence.

“With regard to allegations of obstruction of justice or tampering with a witness, I do not believe there is evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that such offenses were committed,” Barr said.

Young, flanked by top city officials and supporters, said at a City Hall news conference that his faith in the judicial system has been affirmed.

“I was really pleased that after a complete and thorough investigation, the U.S. attorney found there was nothing we could be indicted for,” Young said. “The thing that hurt me the most (about the investigation) was to be associated with drug use.”

The grand jury was asked to consider whether Young tampered with a federal witness by telephoning Mrs. Bond on March 25 before an interview she had with police and FBI agents.

Young acknowledged he made the call, but said he called Mrs. Bond out of concern as a family friend and the call was not intended to discourage her testimony.

Young Offers Advice

“I said if she really had evidence, fine, but if she was just telling, passing rumors . . . she shouldn’t do anything in a fit of emotion,” Young told reporters.

Young has said he called Mrs. Bond after being briefed by Police Chief Morris Redding.

Among the witnesses who appeared before the grand jury during the past month were Young, Redding, Mrs. Bond and mayoral aide Eugene Duffy, who was one of those who told Young of Mrs. Bond’s allegations.

Mrs. Bond later told police she would no longer provide them with information and called the Atlanta newspapers to recant her previous statements, saying they were made when she was under emotional stress.

Mrs. Bond’s attorney said she told the grand jury she did not believe Young was trying to stop her from going to the police.