November 10, 1983 | by Linda Deutsch | The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A videotape of John Z. DeLorean taking a lie-detector test, saying he was “scared silly for my children” during events leading to his arrest on drug trafficking charges, was shown in federal court yesterday.
DeLorean, 58, denied on the tape that he ever solicited a drug deal, and he told the polygraph examiner he was forced through threats into negotiating with a government informer posing as a drug dealer.
“Of course, my only interest was in staying alive and saving the (DeLorean Motor Car) company if there was any way to do that,” DeLorean told the polygraph examiner just before the test, which defense attorneys arranged.
DeLorean told the examiner that he tried to back out of the deal, but that the informer threatened his children and told him, “We’re going to deliver your daughter’s head in a shopping bag.”
“I was destroyed by it,” DeLorean said. “I was scared silly for my children.”
DeLorean was not in court yesterday for the hearing on the admissibility of polygraph results.
The maverick automaker, charged in a $24 million cocaine distribution deal, passed the polygraph test shown on the tape, but a month later flunked a test given by the FBI.
Defense lawyers, who plan to seek the dismissal of cocaine conspiracy charges against DeLorean, say they want jurors to see the videotape if the case does go to trial. No trial date has been set.
Prosecutors oppose admission of any polygraph results, but say if jurors know of the defense test they also should know of the FBI examination.
Earlier yesterday, U.S. District Judge Robert Takasugi ruled that the videotape may be shown on television without damaging DeLorean’s right to a fair trial.
In the interview, DeLorean recalled how in 1979 he met James Timothy Hoffman, a neighbor in San Diego, and was contacted by him again in 1982 about a possible investment in DeLorean’s company.
DeLorean said he tried to back out of the deal after narcotics were mentioned at a September 1982 meeting, and that Hoffman threatened his children.
He spoke of reluctantly going to an Oct. 19, 1982, meeting at a Los Angeles hotel, where he was arrested.
“They (undercover government agents) whip out a bottle of champagne and I think I’m toasting the fact that funds are available for the company. They indicate we’re toasting a long series of narcotics transactions.
“(A government agent) runs to the closet and jumps out with a suitcase full of bags of cocaine. By now, I’m paralyzed and ready to jump out the window,” DeLorean said on the tape. “I’m convinced if I do anything, I’ll never leave that room alive. And of course, 10 minutes later, they arrest me.”
