Thread: Barry Bonds found guilty of one count of obstruction of justice

Barry Bonds found guilty of obstruction of justice

By Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY
April 13, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO – Barry Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justice today, but a jury of eight women and four men could not render a verdict on three counts of perjury after four days of deliberations.

A mistrial was declared on the three perjury counts, and the jury was released.

Bonds sat impassively as the verdict was read.

While the jury was divided on the three charges that Bonds lied when he told a grand jury in 2003 that he had never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs, the guilty verdict for obstructing the federal investigation of the BALCO case makes him a convicted felon.

A May 20 date was set for a status hearing, at which time a sentencing date will probably be set. Obstruction of justice carries up to 10 years in prison. However, Bonds is most likely to get probation.

Bonds became the latest and most prominent sports figure convicted in a case that began when federal agents raided the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative in September 2003. Previous to him, Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones, Olympic cyclist Tammy Thomas, NFL lineman Dana Stubblefield and track coach Trevor Graham were convicted of making false statements to a grand jury or federal authorities. Bonds, 46, has not played since 2007 but has not officially retired. The verdict likely will have a serious impact on his chances to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The seven-time NL MVP is eligible to go on the ballot after the 2012 season and would be a shoo-in except for his strong link to steroid use.

In recent years, voters have turned their back on candidates like Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, whose Hall-worthy track records were tarnished by steroids connections.

BALCO founder Victor Conte said in a telephone interview with USA TODAY that he was flabbergasted by the verdict.

"This verdict absolutely makes no sense to me," he said, minutes after the verdict was announced. "Of all of these counts, the one that makes the least sense to me is the obstruction charge. Tell me how there was obstruction of justice.

"This is all about the selected persecution of Barry Bonds. This is not fair. I was the heavy in this. I accepted full responsibility and the consequences and went to prison. How is that obstruction? Doesn't make sense.

"The whole idea of committing perjury, and lying to the grand jury makes no sense. In my opinion, the overall majority of the athletes who testified in the BALCO case committed perjury. There were the things that the majority of the athletes said that simply were not true.''

The prosecution portrayed Bonds as having built at least part of his baseball legacy through rampant use of performance-enhancing substances and then lying about it to protect his reputation.

"He had a secret, and it was a powerful secret,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow said in his closing argument. "That secret is using those illegal drugs was part of his training regimen. … He had a concern (that word getting out) would taint whatever athletic accomplishments he had managed to achieve during his career.''

Legal analysts believed the government's best chance for conviction was based on the testimony of Kathy Hoskins, Bonds' former personal shopper, who said she saw him get injected by weight trainer Greg Anderson during the 2002 season. Bonds had told the grand jury only doctors had injected him.

During deliberations, the jury asked to hear her testimony read again. In it, Hoskins quoted Bonds as saying after receiving the shot she saw from Anderson, "Got to have a little somethin', somethin' for when I go on the road. You can't detect it. You can't catch it.''

The government also presented testimony from four major leaguers, three now retired, who obtained steroids from Anderson, and evidence that a urine sample taken from Bonds in 2003 tested positive for synthetic testosterone, the designer steroid THG and the female fertility drug clomiphene.

Prosecutor Matthew Parrella pointed out the defense never argued that Bonds had not used steroids, while Bonds' lawyers argued that he did so unknowingly.

Bonds, who did not take the stand at his trial, told the grand jury he got the BALCO drugs known as "the clear'' (THG) and "the cream'' (a mix of testosterone and epitestosterone) from Anderson, but that he thought they were flaxseed oil and arthritis balm.

In an effort to prove otherwise, prosecutors called on witnesses such as Kimberly Bell, the former girlfriend who said Bonds told her of his steroid use around 1999. Bell also testified about his physical and personality changes, purportedly as a result of abusing steroids.

The government also presented a tape recording of Anderson talking about his strategy for injecting Bonds with steroids. However, the credibility of Steve Hoskins, the former Bonds business associate who secretly recorded the tape, was brought into question at cross-examination and also by the testimony of orthopedic surgeon Arthur Ting, who operated on the former San Francisco Giants icon. Ting denied talking to Hoskins about Bonds' use of steroids.

Despite being Steve Hoskins' sister, Kathy Hoskins came across as credible and upset about having to testify in the trial, tearfully saying "I was put in the middle of it.''

Contributing: Bob Nightengale

From Barry Bonds found guilty of obstruction of justice - Daily Pitch: MLB News, Standings, Schedules & More - USATODAY.com

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Originally Posted by MegaTron

7 to 8 million federal dollars went to this case that began in 2002 and all he is probably going to get is 4-6 months house arrest... What Bull kaka who gives a shit his punishment will live with him forever, He cheated everyone knows it, no hall of fame, his home run record means nothing, also an other reason is AROD or Pujols will break the HR record...

A rod has been in one hell of a slump , he hasnt went yard since last Oct.