The Sins of The Father

Marion Barry Jr, the only son of notorious DC mayor Marion Barry,  died early Sunday of an apparent drug overdose. The younger Barry, 36,  failed in his bid for a political career and recently lost his father’s home when he could not make mortgage payments.  As a young police officer  I arrested Barry Sr before his political career for carrying a pistol during a riot.  Later I had him standing outside his office door at a ‘community activist organization’ when a colleague suspected of being a police informant was tortured to death by members of his staff.  (the community organization closed a few months later when the federal government found 13 million dollars in grant money missing).  I could go on.

“The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children.”   William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice