From today's edition of The New York Times:

Word for Word | From Mick's Lips

The Detective, the Star and the White Powder

By THOMAS VINCIGUERRA
Published: August 7, 2005

THE Rolling Stones may be the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band, but for years it was the most notorious as well. One of the Stones' most infamous public dust-ups took place on May 28, 1969, when the police raided the London apartment of Mick Jagger. The bobbies said they found heroin, LSD and marijuana; Mr. Jagger insisted that the drugs had been planted there. Ultimately, he was fined 200 pounds (about $500) for possession of cannabis.

Last week, the British National Archives released some 500 pages of documents about the case. Although they don't settle the question of who was telling the truth, they do offer some insight into the clash of two cultures during the Swinging Sixties.

Mr. Jagger's girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull, provided the police with her version of the bust.

I was in the basement kitchen with Christopher Gibbs and on looking from the window saw Mick being held by a lot of men. There was also a woman there. All the men were in plain clothes. I never heard anyone shout but saw someone's hand over Mick's mouth. The kitchen window was open. I cannot say whose hand was over Mick's mouth. I assumed Mick was being attacked by thugs and ran from the kitchen up the stairs to the front door, which I opened. At this Mick said, "Shut the door, you silly twit, it's the police."

In his statement, Mr. Jagger said that a detective sergeant, Robin Constable, framed him, using a white Cartier box taken from a tabletop.

When I saw Constable pick up the box I walked over to him, by which time he opened the box. He was holding it in his hand. He quickly pulled out a folded piece of white paper similar in composition to typing paper. I think he put the box down and opened the folded paper. He said, "Ah, ah, we won't have to look much further." He had a little while earlier been asking me where the LSD was. Constable was holding the unfolded paper up level with his eye roughly. As I got to him he showed me the paper and I saw it contained some white powder.

Mr. Jagger then accused the detective of planting heroin, and described conducting an on-site drug test.

We both examined the powder more closely in the light from the window. Constable licked one of his fingers and dipped it into the powder and tasted it. I did the same of my own volition. It had a talcum powder flavor. Constable said he didn't really know what it was. I said I thought it was talcum powder. I would not know what heroin tastes like but the flavor of the powder was not bitter.

In his statement, Mr. Jagger said the police suggested that he betray Ms. Faithfull to save his skin.

Gibbs and the other officer were in the far end of the room, the sitting room. He said, "Don't worry about it, Mick, we can sort it all out." I said, "No, we can't." He said, "Don't worry about it." I said, "I don't believe you can do anything." He said, "Yes, we can." I said, "How?" He said, "Well, you plead not guilty and she pleads guilty." By she I understood him to mean Marianne. I was taken aback.

According to Mr. Jagger, Mr. Constable said that a bit of bribery would smooth the way.

He said, "How much is it worth to you?" I didn't reply but merely shrugged my shoulders. He said, "Come on, how much is it worth to you?" He seemed to want me to name a figure but I did not want to. The conversation was being held in an undertone but not a whisper. He twice asked me how much it was worth. He then said "a thousand," but I never replied. After this he said to me, "You can have the money back if it doesn't work."

The commander of the criminal investigation department, Robert Huntley, who led the police internal inquiry into Mr. Jagger's charges, summed up the case.

The private persons interviewed during the course of this investigation represent extreme ends of a scale. At one end are public figures whilst at the other are the dregs of society. It is interesting to note that those who purport to give first hand evidence in support of the allegations are at the lower end of the scale, being drug users or trafficking in them.

The main allegation is that D.S. Constable solicited 1,000, based on his finding some white powder. No independent person was in earshot when this alleged demand was made and this can best be summarized as "word against word."

Here is how Scotland Yard signed off on the incident, with the "D. of P.P." referring to the director of public prosecutions.

The very serious allegations against three of the officers taking part in the raid at 48 Cheyne Walk are made by a very intelligent, shrewd and well known public figure with many influential friends. On the other hand he was being dealt with by an astute and experienced detective who was the leader of a thoroughly and carefully briefed team. ...

Notwithstanding an element of circumstantial and hearsay corroborative evidence, the matter finally comes down to the word of Jagger against that of Detective Sergeant Constable.

This is clearly a matter to be determined by the D. of P.P. and the papers are submitted accordingly.

The director of public prosecutions ultimately concluded that no action should be taken against the police. Several years later, senior detectives of Scotland Yard's drug squad were tried on charges of corruption much like the kind Mr. Jagger described.

Thomas Vinciguerra is an editor of The Week magazine.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-07 20:35 by Pserchia.