D.C. Man Is Expected to Testify That Barry Used Crack in 1988

District of Columbia employee James L. McWilliams has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors and is expected to plead guilty to a single misdemeanor drug offense and tell a grand jury that he was present at the Ramada Inn when Mayor Marion Barry smoked crack cocaine, sources have told the Washington Post.

The agreement, which could pave the way for perjury and other felony charges against the mayor, was concluded Monday at the office of U.S. Atty. Jay B. Stephens, the sources said.

Barry, who was arrested on a drug charge Jan. 19, previously denied to a federal grand jury that he had used crack with Charles Lewis during visits to the Ramada Inn in December, 1988. The mayor’s office declined to comment late Monday.

McWilliams, 57, a former assistant attorney general of the Virgin Islands and longtime friend of Lewis, was present with Lewis and Barry at the Ramada the night of Dec. 19, 1988, and has long been considered a potentially crucial witness against Barry.

McWilliams is prepared to tell the grand jury that he was present in Lewis’ hotel room when Barry arrived, and that he saw Barry and Lewis enter the bathroom together, according to sources. From the context of their conversation, McWilliams told prosecutors, it was clear that Barry and Lewis had entered the bathroom to smoke crack--which McWilliams knew Lewis had obtained for the mayor’s use. McWilliams said that he was watching TV while the two were smoking the drugs, the sources said.