I really wasn't expecting that. Copy of the full indictment here (hat tip for the hosting to reader Matt Galemmo)
Well, it looks like the A's are going to need to look elsewhere to fill the DH hole . . . .
Quick take: There's nothing sexy in it except for a recitation of questions asked of Bonds along the lines of "did you take steroids" or "didMark Greg (forgive me, it's been a couple of years since I thought much about this) Anderson inject you with steroids." Nothing new here. Nothing we haven't known for years. Bonds' answers to the questions -- and the questions themselves -- are vague enough to where it seems like a decent defense lawyer could cloud the issue enough to get an acquittal.
I am not a criminal lawyer by trade (I do mostly civil litigation), but my criminal law experience suggests to me that this is a face-saving indictment designed to allow the investigators and the US Attorney to say they did their job. They got the indictment (note: a U.S. Attorney can get an indictment on anyone for just about anything). If and when Bonds walks, they will blame a Bonds friendly San Francisco jury pool, and it will be done.
Make no mistake: I think Bonds took steroids, and I tend to think that, generally speaking, he has lied about it. This indictment, on these particular questions, however, looks very, very weak.
Well, it looks like the A's are going to need to look elsewhere to fill the DH hole . . . .
Quick take: There's nothing sexy in it except for a recitation of questions asked of Bonds along the lines of "did you take steroids" or "did
I am not a criminal lawyer by trade (I do mostly civil litigation), but my criminal law experience suggests to me that this is a face-saving indictment designed to allow the investigators and the US Attorney to say they did their job. They got the indictment (note: a U.S. Attorney can get an indictment on anyone for just about anything). If and when Bonds walks, they will blame a Bonds friendly San Francisco jury pool, and it will be done.
Make no mistake: I think Bonds took steroids, and I tend to think that, generally speaking, he has lied about it. This indictment, on these particular questions, however, looks very, very weak.
8 comments:
Bonds got screwed.
The timing seems pretty curious to me as do reports of failed anabolic steroids tests. And how did it take them 4 years to gather all of this information?
C, Greg Anderson, not Mark ( I strongly suspect you know that. )
Mark B. The failed test got my attention as well. Is this part of the "anonymous" testing that was done in ??, as agreed to between the PA and MLB to determine future testing policy? Didn't the feds get their hands on those "anonymous" tests and the corresponding data revealing indentities? ( Players got screwed ).
C, I agree, I think we all do. Bonds was / is dirty and lied about it.
My point is, get in line.
P.S. I'm also the only Canadian I know that thinks Ben Johnson is one of our greatest athletes - ever. No shit he was juiced, so was everybody else in that 88 race.
Don't get me started!
Ya I'm kinda surprised the union never made more of a stink about those seized tests. It seems like from the document that the ones they were referring to were tests that BALCO actually administered of their clients and kept on hand, though I could be wrong. I never bothered to read Game of Shadows or most of the stuff on Bonds' "indiscretions" because I think it is a witch hunt and I think it is ridiculous. I think I had heard that the statute of limitations on indicting Bonds for perjury was set to run out sometime in the next year. This was probably an attempt to just get something on paper and show people they made an effort.
Mark B, you're preachin to the choir, I've called it a witch hunt in the past and again, he is dirty.
I am very surprised there is an indictment because I had read more than once that there was a housecleaning of prosecutors ( I'm out of my depth here because I don't follow US politics ) including some in CA for political reasons ( I think ). The upshot being that some of the gang hunting Bonds had been replaced and there would be a "reordering of priorities" or whatever applicable bureaucratise.
Anyway, you're likely right that the positive test is one administered by BALCO. How do they prove that Anderson injected him?
Craig ( and I respect your opinion ) seems to think that not a lot will come of it, like no jail I guess. I think the next pertinent question is, does this officially blackball him out of MLB? Is he coming to Indy Ball? ( I'm only half joking )
Did Anderson rat out Bonds? Is that why he got released today?
Sure Ben Johnson was juiced, but did you see his margin of victory.
He would have won regardless.
So does this now free us of Bonds and are we able to get on with baseball, or will it be another circus?
Oh, it will be a circus all right...I mean, this is perfect for Faux News to use to divert attention from the recessing economy, failed foreign policies (in general) and ramp up to another unjustified war (in Iran this time). I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes "All Barry, all the time!"...just like when Anna Nicole Smith died. And, of course, CNN and MSNBC will follow right along.
As to the tests, BALCO didn't administer any steroid tests themselves, they used a local Quest Labs to do the testing. They were, however, dumb enough to throw away the related documentation in their own garbage (as well as vials containing the Clear and other steroids). The really interesting thing to watch for is how the prosecutor intends to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the documentation DOES, in fact, connect to Bonds...they used codes for the atheletes and not names on most of the tests (BALCO did screw up once, sending a test clearly labeled "Barry Bonds", then called Quest and said it was mislabeled and was really for Greg Anderson!).
Another thing here is that Bonds' testimony was contradictory at points, and he was obviously confused (having a hard time keeping track of the lies). That might make it a bit easier to get a conviction on at least one of the counts of perjury...I mean, if you answer the same question differently twice in the same testimony, one of them has to be false, right?.
Anyway, it WILL be a circus, that much is certain...
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