[bigboydan]

Oh Taco

Home run king Barry Bonds indicted on perjury, obstruction charges

By PAUL ELIAS, Associated Press Writer
November 15, 2007

San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds waits before his at-bat in the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, in this Sept. 15, 2007 file photo, in San Diego. Bonds was charged Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007 with perjury and obstruction of justice, the culmination of a four-year federal probe into whether he lied under oath to a grand jury investigating steroid use by elite athletes.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday for perjury and obstruction of justice, charged with lying when he told a federal grand jury that he did not knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs.

The indictment unsealed Thursday against baseball's home-run king culminated a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes.

"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes," the indictment read.

In August, the 43-year-old Bonds passed Hank Aaron to become baseball's career home run leader. Late in the season, the San Francisco Giants told the seven-time National League MVP they didn't want him back next year. He is currently a free agent.

While Bonds was chasing Aaron, the grand jury was working behind closed doors to complete the long-rumored indictment.


"I'm surprised," said John Burris, one of Bonds' attorneys, "but there's been an effort to get Barry for a long time. "I'm curious what evidence they have now they didn't have before."

The indictment charged Bonds with lying when he said that he didn't knowingly take steroids given to him by his personal trainer, Greg Anderson. He also denied taking steroids at anytime in 2001 when he was pursuing the season home-run record.

He is also charged with lying that Anderson never injected him with steroids.

"Greg wouldn't do that," Bonds testified in December 2003 when asked if Anderson ever gave him any drugs that needed to be injected. "He knows I'm against that stuff."

[Al Masters]

WOW, big news, lets see how this situation plays itself out.

You think mark mcguire is a tad nervous at learning of this?

[paul Mordeeb]

Why would Mark worry??? Barry isn't charged for using...hes charged for lying about it to a GRAND JURY!!!

[remaxagnt]

sorry i put this in this thread but didnt think anyone would be looking in mlb section.

WHO CARES! i say let them all use steroids. he facing 20 years to lying to a few old men in suites! so what. this is such a witch hunt. i hate bonds too! his trainer must have turned cuz he out of jail now. such a waste of tax payes dollars. what does everyone think

[Al Masters]

Originally Posted by paul Mordeeb

Why would Mark worry??? Barry isn't charged for using...hes charged for lying about it to a GRAND JURY!!!

What do you think Mcquire and others are happy to hear this news?Do you think this news can in any way help him or others who've been tied to steroid use?

I think there was a communication problem in how you interpreted my post.

It's not what the charge is, its just the fact that there is a charge of some sort which MAY lead ot grief up the road for others including mcguire IMO.


Here's an example perhaps you'll better understand my view.

This is just an example and is not an actual represention of me.

Me and 4 of friends have been smoking weed for 10 years.
One of those 4 friends gets the shit a pound at a time from Gus, then we split it between all 5 of us.Been doing this for years,i have met this guy gus only 3 times in my life,but he did buisness with my friend for years.

Now Gus gets charged for growing weed, i dont grow weed, never have, however being that im indirectly linked to gus,the situation concerns me not only cause i can't get weed anymore(lol) but now the posibility of grief is there for anyone associated to the charged person.

[Al Masters]

Not sure but i think this is similar to the charge that Martha Stewert had against her.

[onlòóker]

You know your broken hearted Dan. That is your boy and you couldn't bare it if he went to the slammer. You would miss his performance on the diamond.

[bigboydan]

Oh ya Looker, I'm in tears over it.


Indictment May End Barry's Career


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[buzzsawl]

Bond's trial in SF anything can happen. He prob. gets off.

[sharktank1]

Hmm, let see.

@ age 37, he hit 73 home runs, after never hitting more than 49. Also had a slugging % of .863 (after) never being above 700 before.

@ age 38, he had a .370 batting average, after never hitting higher than .336.

I could go on with the stats, but why bother?

What steroids did was delay the deterioration of his God given baseball abilities.
It kept him @ his early 30's efficiency, well into his 40's!

[Illusion]

Here's my question, even if Bonds is found not guilty will he ever be inducted into the hall of fame is his lifetime?

[sharktank1]

I think not...

[bigboydan]

Originally Posted by Illusion

Here's my question, even if Bonds is found not guilty will he ever be inducted into the hall of fame is his lifetime?

It's up to Bud Selig.

Two things stand out to me he's convicted of these charges.

1.) The 1919 Black Sox
2.) Pete Rose

[CrazyLou]

Should have shot the ball into space

[Willie Bee]

The first person connected with MLB who should be charged with perjury and obstruction of justice is Osama bud Selig. I don't like Barry Bonds, think he's a real horse's patoot. But the fact remains that it's only the players who have suffered in any way for this steroid mess, all while the owners walk away scot-free. Have everyone who was an owner from the late 80s through the 90s stand in front of a judge and swear on a stack of Bibles they knew nothing of the problem and then dig deep into them and their lives. Subpoena their secretaries, their CFOs, their GMs, their team doctors, everyone into the courtroom, and then put the truth out there.

[bigboydan]

Really not sure where to put this story, but it does seem appropriate to put in this thread.


Whether you love Bonds or hate him... You gotta respect his friend/trainer Greg Anderson for keeping his mouth shut this whole time.

Report: Despite threat of more prison time, Anderson won't testify

Greg Anderson, who spent months in federal prison for refusing to testify against his personal training client, Barry Bonds, was released on Thursday when Bonds was indicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. He could face a possible return.

If Bonds goes to trial on perjury and obstruction of justice charges, Anderson could be called on again to testify -- and face a return to prison if he again refuses to cooperate.

According to Anderson's attorneys, he'll do it again if confronted with the same dilemma.

Anderson could be charged with criminal contempt if he refuses to cooperate with the government if Bonds goes to trial on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. That would mean a criminal trial of his own and an even longer prison sentence than the civil contempt charge that sent him to prison for refusing to testify before the grand jury investigating Bonds.

But Anderson's defense team told the New York Daily News that he won't turn on Bonds.

"He's never going to testify," his lead attorney Mark Geragos said, according to the Daily News.

"He didn't like it there," added Paula Carny, a member of Anderson's defense team, according to the Daily News. "But all any of us have is what we believe is who we are and our word and integrity."

Bonds faces a maximum of five years on each of his four perjury charges and 10 years for one obstruction charge for allegedly lying about his steroid use during a 2003 grand jury appearance. But defense attorneys and former prosecutors who have handled perjury cases said if Bonds is convicted he likely would serve only about a year in prison.

Bonds was charged Thursday for allegedly lying in his testimony before a grand jury investigating a performance-enhancing drug ring centered at BALCO.

Two other athletes and a track coach also have been indicted for allegedly lying to the grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.

Marion Jones, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, pleaded guilty in October and faces a maximum of six months in prison when she is sentenced in January.

Elite track coach Trevor Graham, who once coached Jones, and former Olympic bicyclist Tammy Thomas also have been charged with perjury, and both have pleaded not guilty.

[tacomax]

Originally Posted by Willie Bee

The first person connected with MLB who should be charged with perjury and obstruction of justice is Osama bud Selig. I don't like Barry Bonds, think he's a real horse's patoot. But the fact remains that it's only the players who have suffered in any way for this steroid mess, all while the owners walk away scot-free. Have everyone who was an owner from the late 80s through the 90s stand in front of a judge and swear on a stack of Bibles they knew nothing of the problem and then dig deep into them and their lives. Subpoena their secretaries, their CFOs, their GMs, their team doctors, everyone into the courtroom, and then put the truth out there.

I think this post should be made a sticky in the MLB forum.

[bigboydan]

Bonds is still shopping for a lawyer.

I know he's gotta pick the right guy and all, but he should have made his decision by now, because the longer he waits the worse chance of beating the case.

Bonds still looking to complete legal team

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds' first date with a federal judge is Friday, when he is expected to plead not guilty to perjury and obstruction of justice charges, but the slugger still has yet to assemble his full legal team.

Bonds and longtime attorney Mike Rains began shopping around the Bay Area for another lawyer with federal experience even before Bonds was charged Nov. 15 with lying to a grand jury about his steroids use.

Rains has a small firm focused mostly on defending police officers accused of misconduct and he has limited experience in federal court. So Laura Enos, another lawyer who represents Bonds' business interests, said the slugger was looking to add another lawyer while also retaining Rains.

Negotiations between Bonds and John Keker, one of the country's top -- and most expensive -- criminal defense attorney, fell through last week over his fees and disagreements over control of the case, two people with knowledge of the negotiations said on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

Criminal law experts also said Keker may have faced conflict of interest issues because his firm represented the Major League Baseball players union in its unsuccessful lawsuit to prevent federal investigators from keeping the names of some 100 players who tested positive for performance enhancing drug use in 2003.

So Bonds is still interviewing criminal defense lawyers, and is being advised by San Francisco civic leader Daniel Walter Shorenstein, and trial lawyer and deep-pocketed Democratic donor Joseph Cotchett, who was once the law partner of the judge presiding over Bonds' case.

A grand jury indicted Bonds last month on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. The career home run leader and former San Francisco Giant likely faces a maximum of two years in prison if convicted.

Bonds' legal problems began with his testimony in December 2003 before a grand jury investigating a performance enhancing drug ring centered at the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative in Burlingame. Five men involved in the ring, including BALCO founder Victor Conte, Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson and track coach Remi Korchemny have pleaded guilty to drug charges.

George Walker, who represented Korchemny, said he's been interviewed by Bonds' representatives as a potential candidate. Walker said he had dinner with Bonds' business manager four months ago and has several telephone conversation since. But Walker said he hasn't heard anything from Bonds' camp in the last few days.

"They are looking over a lot of horses," Walker said. Walker also said that it's not paramount that Bonds have his legal squad in place by Friday. The hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston is expected to be brief and perfunctory with Bonds pleading not guilty, a new court date being scheduled and the slugger being released without having to post any bail money.

Before President Clinton appointed Illston to the bench in 1995, she was a partner with Cotchett in a Burlingame-based law firm that specializes in suing Wall Street corporations on behalf of aggrieved shareholders.

[astro61200]

Originally Posted by bigboydan

It's up to Bud Selig.

Two things stand out to me he's convicted of these charges.

1.) The 1919 Black Sox
2.) Pete Rose

The Black Sox cheated and fixed games, Pete Rose bet on games and is unclear if he bet against his team... both of which were against the rules

In the event Bonds did use steroids, it was not against the rules at the time, thus there is no reason to keep him out and he will be in within 5 years of eligibility... dont blame Bonds or anyone else for finding an advantage that was within the rules at the time, blame Selig for not making it against the rules

[bigboydan]

The Case Against Barry Bonds

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[louisvillekid]

The indictment against baseball's home-run king culminated a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes.

I still like this line from the original statement. I'm curious as to the exact criteria for being "elite", is it being too damn good.

[jon13009]

Bonds is an arrogant jerk; however taking steroids at the time was not against MLB rules. Bonds saw what McGuire and Sosa was doing, and a lot of other players were going along with the notion that MLB did not strongly discourage steroid use at that time.

However, it is difficult to believe Bonds did not know what the Balco "supplements" he was taking at the time contained. I feel Bonds probably lied to that federal grand jury. With the case being held in SF, and a hefty team of lawyers behind him, I would guess Bonds gets out of this with a hefty settlement fine, and will be playing as Oakland's DH next year, otherwise it will be a slugfest in Federal court.