Posted on 07/20/2006 11:05:52 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Members of the grand jury investigating baseball's Barry Bonds for perjury and tax evasion arrived at the federal courthouse Thursday for what could be their final day of work.
Mark Geragos, attorney for Bonds' personal trainer, told The Associated Press his client would be released later in the day from federal prison, where Greg Anderson was sent more than two weeks ago after he refused to testify to the grand jury.
The judge said Anderson was to be held until he agreed to testify against Bonds or the grand jury's term expired, and the panel's term was set to expire Thursday. It was unclear if Anderson's expected release would have any bearing on whether indictments were handed up against Bonds.
Prosecutors could seek to extend the grand jury's term to put more pressure on Anderson to cooperate, or convene a new panel and put him back in jail.
The trainer likely holds the key to whether perjury charges could stick against Bonds, who testified in 2003 that he thought substances given to him by the trainer were arthritis balm and flaxseed oil.
Authorities suspected the San Francisco Giants slugger was lying and that those items were "the clear" and "the cream" -- two performance-enhancing drugs tied to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the lab exposed as a steroids supplier to top athletes in baseball, track and other sports.
"Obviously, they think they need Greg to prove perjury," Geragos said.
Allegations of steroid use long have plagued Bonds, who passed Babe Ruth in May to become second only to Hank Aaron on the career home run list. They intensified in late 2003, when he testified before the original BALCO grand jury, which took testimony from about two dozen athletes.
Without the trainer's help, prosecutors still could indict Bonds on charges alleging he failed to pay taxes on money made through sales of autographs and other memorabilia. There is also the chance Bonds might be indicted on perjury charges without Anderson's testimony.
"I don't think Barry has violated any laws. Under our system, if the government is going to point a finger at him, the government better be well prepared to," Bonds' attorney, Michael Rains, said. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that Barry gets a tenacious and effective defense."
Federal prosecutors declined comment Wednesday.
Anderson was one of five men convicted in the steroids scandal surrounding BALCO. He was sentenced to three months behind bars and three months of home confinement in October after pleading guilty to money laundering and steroid distribution.
He was found in contempt of court and jailed again July 5 for refusing to testify in the Bonds probe.
Federal prosecutors say they need Anderson, in part, to interpret calendars that seem to spell out Bonds' schedule for using performance-enhancing drugs. The calendars were seized by investigators from Anderson's home in 2003.
Geragos has launched an effort to get his client freed based on a tape-recorded conversation that, he says, was made illegally in the spring of 2003 by government investigators. On the tape, Anderson allegedly discusses Bonds' illegal drug use with an unidentified athlete.
Geragos is demanding that the government disclose the contents of that tape. He suspects they won't and says it's illegal for Anderson to remain in prison because he won't testify about information the government allegedly obtained without a warrant.
"They have to turn over the tape or let Greg out," Geragos said.
A decision on that argument is expected soon from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Former federal prosecutors said Anderson faces long odds with that argument because grand jury witnesses aren't entitled to see the government's evidence before they testify, except on rare occasions.
AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
That Fox infobabe was practically screaming that NO INDICTMENT against Bonds.....while at the bottom of the screen was the banner, "Grand Jury Extends their term..."
Rush just touched on it as well.
Also Karl Rove will not be indicted. :-)
I was watching a clip last night from press conference with Barry, a real lesson in media feeding FRenzies..
Bonds is up to his steroid inflated ass in this scandal and he ought to be indicted, have all his records stricken from the book and thrown out of the game.
If he is indicted don't expect to have to wait to long for the race card to be played.
Does mean Barry's street cred increases?
ummm, no.. imo.
the trainer is being released also from detention, maybe he agreed to testify.
As much as I dislike Barry Bonds, I still believe he is innocent until he is proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. His persona is somewhat hostile, and I think he is a racist, and I also think he is a pig, but he is not convicted of anything, so I refuse to cast stones his way based on anything a newspaper might write. We all know newspapers don't EVER LIE, and always only TELL THE TRUTH! I also do not always trust the Federal prosecutors, just look at the Libby case for proof of subverted justice. Bonds is the victim of a witchunt, mostly because he is a complete jerk.
Breaking ?? = Barry BondsTo Go On DL-Elbow Surgery
APP-PMSNBC-NYY24/7ESPN-San Francisco: The San Francisco Giants will place Barry Bonds on the DL with what could be a career ending right elbow injury, placing him in jeporady of surpassing the last player ahead of him on MLB's all-time Home Run List., Hank Aaron.
Giants team physician said; "This elbow injury to Barry has been festering and growing in intensity even before his arrival from the Pirates, to the SF Giants."
"Since 1999, it has become a major problem, and has now gotten to the point that the injury to his right elbow, may have finally ended his somewhat stormy career", the doctor was quoted as saying to a packed news conference.
"We have tried to help Barry by trying to make the left arm and elbow try to do what the right arm and elbow has been doing that has caused this terrible injury, but are not having much luck, although Barry has been devoting at least 8-10 hours of every waking day with the trainers here with the Giants to make him practice with his left arm to take the daily strain of Barry's activities that are causing the problem."
"But old habits are very hard to break," the team physician said. "when you've been using your right arm and elbow to CONSTANTLY, ALMOST NON-STOP, PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS, to the point of an almost permanent career ending elbow injury, it takes a lot of time to heal, and make your left arm do that work, but knowing Barry like we do, we believe he is MORE than up to the task".
I'm not wanting to beat up on him either, for all the
Bonds that do get caught up in this kind of intrigue, how many others didn't? and he may well be getting tagged for tax violations versus any enhancements he used, wittingly or such in the end if anything.
His demeanor hasn't been all-star quality off the field and he certainly hasn't helped his case with his dealings with the press... but he is human after all , and deserves fair treatment from both sides. Until this wraps up one way or the other, folks will none the less say otherwise. ;-)
got a link for that,, that looks an awful lot like an old article from a couple years ago.... altho with a pending finale now extended , who knows? Thanks!
The two links attributed to my #8 post are : PMSNBC, and NYY24/7ESPN, as noted in the start of the article.
Please read the LAST paragraph SLOWLY.....
(OBTW.....I DID for get to put the sarcasm off thingee AFTER the THIRD paragraph.....sorry).
Exactly...the sportswriters have been treating this as their own Fitzmas.
No problem. lol
he actually was injured some time back , about 2 years ago or so, and that was very similar to what was written at the time at one point... seriesly
You aren't Joe Biden or Doris Kearns Goodwin by chance, are you? ;-)
It is already being played.
Nope !!!......( but I could use some "plugs", even the "Biden Type".....)
Deal. I'll toss a brain stent in, no charge. ;-)
Hey, I need some of those "biden plugs" too, but forget the brain stent as my wife will tell you I've been brain dead for quite a few years and nothing would help me.
You have a good and kind wife. quite the catch. lol
I have a lot of hair, just in the wrong spots.
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