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Barry Bonds Indicted

by armchairsports | November 15, 2007 at 09:20 pm | 391 views | add comment

Where's that home run ball now? I wonder what information prosecutors have now that they didn't before? I'll be curious to see what kind of circus they can conjure around this one. This should lend itself to be quite a show. There is a writer's strike after all - so all the networks are scrambling for content - and just in time we have an end-around indictment of a major public figure.

While it's easy to "love to hate" Barry Bonds, he has never tested positive for seroids. Yes, there have been documents produced showing that "Barry B." tested positive, and the entire BALCO lab went down with stacks of BB's files, but this seems to be the kind of concerted effort at indictment ususally reserved for A class crime bosses named Mugsy and Teflon Don.

That said, the stakes may be that high if indeed there is new proof of doping. You don't need to look much further than the phone call made from the president's office to congratulate Barry on his home run record this summer.

Bonds indicted on federal charges

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds, baseball's home run king, was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice Thursday and could face prison instead of the Hall of Fame for telling a federal grand jury he did not knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs.

The indictment, culminating a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes, charged Bods with four counts of perjury and one of obstruction of justice. If convicted, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Shortly after the indictment was handed up, Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was ordered released after spending most of the past year in prison for refusing to testify against his longtime friend.

"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 said.

In August, when the 43-year-old Bonds passed Hank Aaron to become baseball's career home run leader, he flatly rejected any suggestion that this milestone was stained by steroids.

"This record is not tainted at all. At all. Period," Bonds said.

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.

Late in the season, the San Francisco Giants told the seven-time National League MVP they didn't want him back next year.

Bonds could not immediately be reached for comment. One of his attorneys, John Burris, didn't know of the indictment before being alerted by The Associated Press and said he would 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."