Marion Barry will be facing the media regarding his weekend arrest shortly. We’ll have the conference liveblogged for your entertainment. Keep tuned in here.

Update 4 [11:04am]

And we lost our feed. We tried to get an updated feed, but managed to get back just in time for the end. Councilman Barry did not comment at all. Mr. Cooke is attempting to discredit Donna Watts, the complainant as listed below, suggesting that her account is not credible. The Park Police have made their complaint to the US Attorney’s office, who will decide if Councilman Barry is charged with misdemeanor stalking. All the details are below.

Update 3 [10:50am]

Cooke: This attack against the spokesperson of Mr. Barry are also baseless. The person who has made these charges has, in large part, recanted her charges. Clearly there was no stalking here, no coercion. It would be very difficult for the prosecution to convict.

WTOP: Why did the councilman sent a memo to the council asking that the husband of the woman in question be allowed to

Cooke: I’m not sure the man is the husband, ex-husband maybe, but he was barred for being threatening the Councilman

Reporter: Has there ever been a physical confrontation?

Cooke: No sir. Verbal

Reporter: Could not hear question.

Cooke: The only incident the Park Police was concerned with was the stalking count.

Reporter: more mumbling

Cooke: An excellent question, counsel. In order for law enforcement to arrest, the incident must occur in the view of the witness. I don’t know how the officers decided that this took place in their view.

Reporter: mumbling

Cooke: They were in a relationship. At least a year, maybe 18 months, prior to the incident

Reporter: She says she never made a complaint to the police, that the officer saw this.

Cooke: The Park Police said they were flagged down. Whether it was a telephone call, or physically flagged down by the complainant.

Reporter: How did Mr. Barry get into the park?

Cooke: He was travelling on public streets on his way home. He was not following anyone. He was going home from the house of the complainant.

Reporter: Was she driving alone?

Cooke: She was in the company of her husband/ex-husband

Reporter: Many of Marion Barry’s past girlfriends said it was out of character for him to stalk, that gifts and assistance were frequent. That this about is unfaithfulness.

Cooke: This was a relationship that ran its course and that’s why it ended.

Reporter: Why was Councilman Barry at the house with the complainant and her ex-husband?

Cooke: It’s not clear that’s what happened.

…and we lost our feed.

Update 2 [10:48am]
Fred Cooke will be commenting for Councilman Barry, and his pastor Bishop Stapleton. Councilman Barry will not be commenting in any way shape or form, at the direction of his attorney.

Fred Cooke: Councilman Barry was arrested this past weekend and was charged by the Park Police. The charges are being reviewed by the Office of the US Attorney. We will appear in court on Thursday to be charged or not charged, depending on the Office of the US Attorney. The arrest was for misdemeanor stalking. Councilman Barry vehemently denies stalking anyone in the district or at any other time. The charge is baseless. This stems from a personal relationship gone wrong.

Cooke: If we are forced to proceed, we can demonstrate that these charges are false.

Update 1 [10:45am]
Looking like we’ll be getting started here in just a little bit.