Young Testifies in Julian Bond Inquiry

ATLANTA —  Mayor Andrew Young spent more than three hours today before a grand jury investigating whether he coerced civil rights leader Julian Bond’s wife into recanting drug-abuse allegations against her husband and Young.

Alice Bond, wife of the former state senator and civil rights leader, told the panel Wednesday that Young did not pressure her to withdraw her allegations.

Young, accompanied by his attorney, former U.S. Atty. Gen. Griffin Bell, refused to comment on the case when the two men arrived for the proceedings.

The grand jury questioned Young about a telephone call he made March 25 to Alice Bond, minutes before she left for an appointment with Atlanta police officers and two FBI agents to discuss her allegations.

Alice Bond testified Wednesday before the same panel, which is examining alleged City Hall interference in the drug investigation.

She refused to discuss her grand jury testimony, but her lawyer, Bruce Maloy, confirmed she said Young did not pressure her into withdrawing the allegations.

Alice Bond reportedly told police March 19 that her husband used cocaine every two hours every day, and she gave authorities a list of other prominent Atlantans who she said used the drug.

Six days later, Young called her after being told of her allegations by Atlanta Police Chief Morris Redding.

Alice Bond met with narcotics officers and FBI agents later that day and told them she just received a telephone call from a “personal friend” who told her not to talk to “the police or any federal agents,” according to a confidential police memorandum.

Alice Bond then ended her cooperation with police and called several news agencies to say the allegations were untrue.