The Nation - News from Nov. 8, 1988

One of 16 criminal charges against former White House aide Oliver L. North was dismissed, without opposition from the prosecution in the Iran-Contra conspiracy case. U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell dismissed a charge that North had fabricated documents to hide from investigators the fact that arms dealer Richard V. Secord had paid for the installation of a $13,800 security fence outside North’s Great Falls, Va., home. The defense had contended that North could not be charged with obstruction of justice because the alleged fabrication did not occur while a grand jury was investigating the scandal. North was charged with fabricating the documents in December, 1986, a month before a special federal grand jury was convened. Gesell denied a defense motion to dismiss a related count charging North with illegally accepting payment for the installation of the fence.