MARION Barry, the scandal-plagued former mayor of Washington, DC, who was jailed for smoking crack cocaine before making a surprising return to office, has died aged 78.

Before his fall from grace, Barry had been one of the nation's most promising black politicians.

Years later many ­Washingtonians would consider him a scoundrel, but he remained a hero to many others in impoverished parts of the city, even as his continuing battles with substance abuse were made public.

Barry, who was serving as a city councilman, was in hospital briefly last week and collapsed hours after being released on Saturday night, according to media reports.

He died at the United Medical Center in Washington, spokeswoman Natalie Williams said. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Barry served three terms from 1979 until 1991, when he went to prison for six months. He reclaimed the job in 1995.

Gregarious and ­charismatic, he came to be known as Washington's "mayor for life", a label he said he disliked but still used in the title of his ­autobiography "Mayor for Life: The Incredible Story of Marion Barry, Jr".

"He loved the District of Columbia and so many Washingtonians loved him," said Vincent Gray, Washington's current mayor.