Ex-Model Tells Jury Barry Had a ‘Desire’ for Cocaine : Drugs: Rasheeda Moore admits initiating discussion of smoking crack. Cross-examination does little to bolster defense position.

The woman who invited Marion Barry into the undercover sting that videotaped him smoking crack cocaine testified Monday that the Washington mayor seemed suspicious, but smoked the cocaine pipe anyway “because he had a desire to.”

During intense cross-examination by Barry’s defense lawyer, R. Kenneth Mundy, former model Rasheeda Moore conceded little to strengthen Mundy’s claim that Barry was improperly trapped into a crime that he did not intend. However, she did admit reintroducing the subject of cocaine after Barry repeatedly declined interest and Mundy pointed to what he said were seven declarations by Barry that he wanted no cocaine.

Meanwhile, the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union on Monday appealed a decision by Federal Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson to bar two black activist leaders invited by Barry to attend the trial last week.

Declaring that Barry’s constitutional rights to a public trial were infringed, the ACLU asked the Federal Court of Appeals to open the courtroom to Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam leader, and Father George A. Stallings Jr., a dissident priest and founder of the African-American Catholic Congregation.

Judge Jackson barred both men on grounds that their presence would be “potentially disruptive” and “very likely intimidating.” They each had been invited by the defense to attend the trial, using one of four observer passes given to the defense team.

Members of Farrakhan’s group stood silently outside court holding placards calling for Jackson to prove that Farrakhan would be disruptive. “For which of his good acts do you condemn him?” read one placard. “Mayor Barry has a right to a public trial, not a press trial,” read another.

Inside the courtroom, Mundy continued to prod Moore into conceding that she, not Barry, repeatedly initiated discussions of cocaine. Noting that Barry several times asked how to use a crack pipe Moore supplied, Mundy demanded: “How could he say that if he had been doing it (smoking crack cocaine) as regularly as you say?” Moore had testified that she and Barry had used cocaine “over 100 times” during a three-year period beginning in mid-1986.

“I’m sure Mr. Barry has been in situations before in hotels,” Moore said. “He’s an intelligent man.”

“If he was so cautious and guarded in his speech as you say,” Mundy asked, “why did he go on a few minutes later and hit the pipe?”

“Because he had a desire to,” Moore replied.

Moore noted that at the time Barry had already become enmeshed in problems because of his visits to drug dealer Charles Lewis at the Ramada Inn. The mayor, she said, knew “how to handle himself in a hotel situation.”

“I have no reason to say anything that is not true,” she added.

“We’ll see,” retorted Mundy.

Moore provided the “pipe . . . the light . . . the know-how . . . the liquor . . . the room and the encouragement by bringing the subject up ad nauseum,” said Mundy.

Moore did not respond, because the judge sustained objections by assistant U.S. Atty. Judith Retchin.