This is no technicality, and I've wondered about it ever since the SF Chronicle printed portions of secret grand jury testimony last year. It is a crime to leak grand jury testimony; why can the media print such testimony and get away with it?
I am NOT defending Bonds for juicing; whatever happens to him, he's brought it on himself.
On the other hand, the secrecy of grand jury testimony is one of the foundations of our criminal justice system; for the press to knowingly disregard the secrecy of grand jury proceedings for their own gain is a disgrace.
If Bonds gets banned from baseball and the Hall of Fame for his actions, so be it. On this issue, however, I hope he wins. The Chronicle (and the authors of this book) have shown an utter disregard (if not contempt) for grand jury secrecy, and ought to be slapped down for it.
Out of curiousity, why is a leak(s) in the grand jury testimony Bonds' issue? If this is criminal, why isn't the DA going after the leakers? I plead ignorance here...how is this offense open to a civil suit by Bonds?