Barry alleges park police planted drugs

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WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- Former Washington Mayor Marion Barry alleges the U.S. Park Police planted drugs in his car in 2002.

Barry, who may run for the Ward 8 council seat in the District of Colombia this year, made the allegations during an appearance on Kojo Nnamdi's weekly political show on WAMU-FM, the Washington Post reported.

"The Park Service planted whatever they planted in my car," Barry said. "They were out in the district, never patrolled in the district before, but that is in the past."

The former mayor, who had been convicted of misdemeanor cocaine possession after a 1990 arrest, said park police officers claimed they had found a trace of marijuana and $5 worth of crack cocaine in his Jaguar while he had been sitting at Buzzard Point in Southwest Washington.

While no charges were filed, Barry said that since he had said he had been drug- and alcohol-free, the incident cast doubt among his friends and supporters and he dropped out of the race for the at-large council seat.