Lawmaker Is Acquitted of Drunken Driving but Convicted of Lesser Charge

clipped from www.nytimes.com Lawmaker Is Acquitted of Drunken Driving but Convicted of Lesser Charge By JOHN ELIGON A Manhattan jury acquitted Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV on Thursday of drunken driving but found him guilty of a lesser charge, driving while ability impaired. Because that charge is only a violation, akin to a speeding ticket, Mr. Powell, 47, will not have a criminal record. Judge Larry Stephen, who presided over the case in Manhattan Criminal Court, fined Mr. Powell $300, suspended his license for 90 days and required him to participate in an educational program. “I respect the verdict, but I do disagree,” Mr. Powell said outside the courthouse. Enlarge This Image John Marshall Mantel for The New York Times Adam Clayton Powell IV