Tribble Found Innocent in Bias Case : Jury Clears Him of Possession and Distribution of Cocaine

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. â€”  Brian Lee Tribble was found innocent Wednesday night of cocaine distribution and possession charges stemming from the death of Maryland basketball star Len Bias.

“The system did not fail me,� Tribble said after regaining his composure following the reading of the verdict.

The Prince George’s County Circuit Court jury deliberated more than six hours before returning the verdict.

Tribble was found innocent of distribution and possession of the drug in connection with Bias’ death, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the months leading up to the party that Bias attended.

Tribble, 24, accused of giving cocaine to Bias, who died last June 19 in his dormitory room, two days after being selected as the Boston Celtics’ No. 1 draft pick.

The prosecutor in the case called Tribble a “dope dealer,� but the defense lawyer said his client was a “whipping boy� for the state.

“This whole trial is a whitewash, an attempt to divert attention from the University of Maryland to somebody whom the state thinks is nobody,� defense attorney Thomas Morrow said.

Tribble’s mother burst into tears when the verdict was read.

“It’s been a year of hell,� Loretta Tribble said. “Lenny couldn’t talk. He was dead. All we had was Mr. Morrow and God.�

If convicted of all charges, Tribble could have been sentenced to 20 years and fined $25,000.

Former Maryland basketball Coach Lefty Driesell, reached at his home in suburban Washington said he would withhold his reaction to the verdict until speaking to his lawyers.

“Yeah, I have a reaction. I just want to talk to my lawyers first,� said Driesell, who testified as a witness for the prosecution. “I’ll meet with them tomorrow. I’ve got a lot of reaction, I just can’t say it. You figure out your own reaction.�

Driesell resigned under pressure as coach of the Terrapins last October after holding the position for 17 years. He was reassigned to duties as an assistant athletic director at the school.

Two counts of obstruction of justice are pending against Tribble in connection with alleged destruction of evidence in the room where Bias collapsed.

Prosecutor Robert Bonsib said he was surprised. He said he thought the publicity that surrounded the case because of Bias’ involvement made the case more difficult than usual to prosecute.

Bonsib said prosecutors have not decided whether to pursue the obstruction of justice charges.

In his 65-minute closing statement Wednesday, Bonsib called the defendant “an ordinary, everyday drug dealer.�

He said Tribble was involved in a “classic drug conspiracy� and that Terrence Moore, a witness for the prosecution, “distributed cocaine for (Tribble) day in, day out.�

Bonsib called Bias “a technical distributor of drugs� for Tribble, saying he occasionally gave small amounts of cocaine to his friends. The prosecutor said Tribble’s motive for giving Bias the drug was to “attach himself to this rising star.�