Bonds Indicted

[Santacapper]

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.
If convicted on all five counts, baseball's home run king could go to prison for up to 30 years.
"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.
Bonds finished the year with 762 homers, seven more than Aaron, and is currently a free agent. In 2001, he set the season record with 73 home runs.
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</NOSCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The indictment culminated a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes.
John Burris, one of Bonds' attorneys, did not know of the indictment before being alerted by The Associated Press. He said he would immediately call Bonds to notify him.
"I'm surprised," Burris said, "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."
Bonds has repeatedly denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. He has never been identified by Major League Baseball as testing positive.
The White House quickly weighed in on the indictment. President Bush is a former owner of the Texas Rangers.
"The president is very disappointed to hear this," Bush spokesman Tony Fratto said. "As this case is now in the criminal justice system, we will refrain from any further specific comments about it. But clearly this is a sad day for baseball."
Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, who is investigating drug use in baseball, declined comment.
The Hall of Fame currently has an exhibit dedicated to Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run.
"As a historic museum, we have no intention of taking the exhibit down," Hall vice president Jeff Idelson said.
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<SMALL>AP - Nov 15, 5:53 pm EST</SMALL>
More Photos</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Bonds was charged with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. He was cited for lying when he said he didn't knowingly take steroids given to him by his personal trainer and longtime friend, Greg Anderson. Bonds also was 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."
Bonds became the highest-profile figure caught up in the government investigation launched in 2002 with the raid of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), the Burlingame-based supplements lab at the center of a steroids distribution ring.
Bonds has long been shadowed by allegations that he used performance-enhancing drugs. The son of former big league star Bobby Bonds, Barry broke into the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 as a lithe, base-stealing outfielder.
By the late 1990s, he'd bulked up to more than 240 pounds -- his head, in particular, becoming noticeably bigger. His physical growth was accompanied by a remarkable power surge.
Speculation of his impending indictment had mounted for more than a year.
In July 2006, the U.S. attorney in San Francisco took the unusual step of going public with the investigation. After the previous panel's 18-month term expired, he announced he was handing it off to a new grand jury.
Anderson was at the center of the investigation. He spent most of the past year in a federal detention center for refusing to testify to the grand jury.
According to testimony obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, Bonds testified in 2003 that he took two substances given to him by Anderson -- which he called "the cream" and "the clear" -- to soothe aches and pains and help him better recover from injuries.
The substances fit the description of steroids distributed by BALCO founder Victor Conte. But when questioned under oath by investigators, Bonds said he believed Anderson had given him flaxseed oil and an arthritic balm.
Investigators and the public had their doubts.
Aiming to prove Bonds a liar, prosecutors tried to compel Anderson to testify. When he refused, they jailed him for contempt.
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<SMALL>AP - Nov 15, 5:49 pm EST</SMALL>
More Photos</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Bonds joins several defendants tied to BALCO. Anderson served three months in prison and three months of home detention after pleading guilty to steroid distribution and money laundering.
Conte also served three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to steroids distribution.
Patrick Arnold, the rogue chemist who created the designer steroid THG, BALCO vice president James Valente and track coach Remi Korchemny all also pleaded guilty. Korchemny and Valente were sentenced to probation and Arnold sent to prison for four months.
Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets clubhouse attendant, pleaded guilty April 27 to drug and money laundering charges.
Elite cyclist Tammy Thomas and track coach Trevor Graham have each pleaded not guilty to lying to a grand jury and federal investigators about their involvement with steroids. Dozens of other prominent athletes have been connected to BALCO, including New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi who told the grand jury he injected steroids purchased at BALCO and Detroit Tigers outfielder Gary Sheffield who testified that Bonds introduced him to BALCO.

 

[Joe Public]

Here we go, let the circus begin.

 

[Fondybadger]

All I can say is I wish it was before he broke the record.

 

[Marcus000]

And Stephen A Smith was the first one to use the race card. Always great to see a supposed "NBA Analyst" brought in to discuss an MLB matter. Maybe the next NBA player that gets busted they can bring in John Kruk to discuss it.

 

[JPicks]

"The president is very disappointed to hear this," Bush spokesman Tony Fratto said. "As this case is now in the criminal justice system, we will refrain from any further specific comments about it. But clearly this is a sad day for baseball."


What's really sad is how much fing money our country as spent on this case. 4 years to get an indictment of perjury? Unbelievable.

 

[Santacapper]

real interesting read


http://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/071115/bonds.pdf

 

[footballjunkie]

4 years and that's the best they could come up with? what a joke, fuckin witchhunt

 

[orangemonk]

about time

 

[B.A.R.]

"The president is very disappointed to hear this," Bush spokesman Tony Fratto said. "As this case is now in the criminal justice system, we will refrain from any further specific comments about it. But clearly this is a sad day for baseball."


What's really sad is how much fing money our country as spent on this case. 4 years to get an indictment of perjury? Unbelievable.

exactly

 

[xpression syst_m]

good priorities by the government, nailing barry was really one of our big worries :down:

 

[B.A.R.]

good priorities by the government, nailing barry was really one of our big worries :down:

exactly(again).

Funny how how goverment prioritizes things

 

[brewer]

All I can say is I wish it was before he broke the record.

u are not alone :cheers:

 

[cogenman]

maybe if Barry wasn't such a cocky bastard and daring them to indict, they wouldn't have done it. Good for him that sorry ass piece of shit cheater.

 

[Killa]

You cannot lie to a grand jury and just hope it will go away. That's what Bonds did. He thought he was invincible. It has nothing to do with the government's priorities. It has to do with the fact that, as a country, we give supremacy to the rule of law. This guy thinks he's above the law. If they let him slide, then they would be rendering the laws of perjury and obstruction of justice as moot. As fans, nobody should EVER stick up for this guy, for one simple reason: He doesn't give a fuck about you, as you are beneath him in his eyes. How many fans and reporters have to tell stories of getting blown off and dissed by this prick? How can you defend a guy like that? He had two choices. He could have come clean, killing his legacy that in his mind was still breathing, and faced no legal trouble. OR, he could have rolled the dice by lying to the feds, pathetically attempting to hang on to a legacy that was already destroyed, risking a prison sentence. He chose the latter. He's a fucking moron and I don't have any respect for him.

 

[JPicks]

It has nothing to do with the government's priorities. It has to do with the fact that, as a country, we give supremacy to the rule of law.

You're crazy. Our country is all about lying to a jury and making false statements.

 

[tuck321]

True. Bonds is dishonest. Bonds has broken the law. Bonds is unpleasant. Bonds is fairly typical. When Clinton serves time for his illegal actions I will be more interested in chasing Bonds. Fact is we are not a nation of law. We are a nation of powerful groups dividing wealth and power while the weak accept their status as pawns.

 

[BetCrimes1984]

Well said, tuck.

The power of the mob needs to rise once again.

 

[frankiegotti]

The power of the mob needs to rise once again.

:cheers:

 

[dunedan]

You cannot lie to a grand jury and just hope it will go away. That's what Bonds did. He thought he was invincible. It has nothing to do with the government's priorities. It has to do with the fact that, as a country, we give supremacy to the rule of law. This guy thinks he's above the law. If they let him slide, then they would be rendering the laws of perjury and obstruction of justice as moot. As fans, nobody should EVER stick up for this guy, for one simple reason: He doesn't give a fuck about you, as you are beneath him in his eyes. How many fans and reporters have to tell stories of getting blown off and dissed by this prick? How can you defend a guy like that? He had two choices. He could have come clean, killing his legacy that in his mind was still breathing, and faced no legal trouble. OR, he could have rolled the dice by lying to the feds, pathetically attempting to hang on to a legacy that was already destroyed, risking a prison sentence. He chose the latter. He's a fucking moron and I don't have any respect for him.

Agreed. Bonds wasn't the target of the 4-year investigation, it was BALCO. The feds were giving immunity to those who testified that they were getting HGH and such from BALCO. Jason Giambi chose to cooperate and though he took a hit to his image and reputation, he's still playing baseball without any fear of legal issues. As Killa pointed out, Bonds chose the path of denial.