Bear
08-26-2008, 01:40 PM
SLUGGER SEEKS TO DISMISS CHARGES
By Howard Mintz
Mercury News
08/25/2008
Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds is
taking another full swing at the government's
perjury case against him.
In court papers filed Monday in San Francisco,
Bonds moved to dismiss much of the revised
indictment returned against him in May, when
federal prosecutors hit him with 15 felony charges
alleging he lied to a federal grand jury about using
steroids in December 2003.
Bonds' defense team maintains that 10 of the 15
charges are so legally flawed that they must be
thrown out of court.
Using phrases such as "fatally defective'' to describe
the latest indictment, Bonds' attorneys argue that
baseball's all-time home run king cannot defend
himself because many of the perjury allegations are
too vague.
The legal arguments in many respects are similar to
those raised by Bonds earlier this year, when
defense lawyers persuaded U.S. District Judge Susan
Illston to order prosecutors to redraft their original
five-count perjury indictment. That indictment was
brought in November, and was replaced with the
new version in May containing 14 perjury charges
and one count of obstructing justice.
While it is unclear what will become of the latest
legal wrangling, the heart of the government's case
remains the same and is expected to eventually
proceed. Bonds is accused of lying to the grand jury
probing the Balco steroids scandal as he chased
baseball's home run records.
The new indictment charges Bonds with 14 separate
false statements to the Balco grand jury, all centered
on his steroid use and relationship with his former
personal trainer, Greg Anderson. He also faces the
one obstruction charge.
Bonds has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and
has been an unsigned free agent throughout the
current baseball season. Illston has scheduled the
trial for March.
Federal prosecutors are expected to respond to
Bonds' latest legal salvo next month. A routine
hearing is scheduled in the case Friday.
Will it never end? His career is over. Is this how you want your government to spend your money? I don't think so.:shakehead:
By Howard Mintz
Mercury News
08/25/2008
Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds is
taking another full swing at the government's
perjury case against him.
In court papers filed Monday in San Francisco,
Bonds moved to dismiss much of the revised
indictment returned against him in May, when
federal prosecutors hit him with 15 felony charges
alleging he lied to a federal grand jury about using
steroids in December 2003.
Bonds' defense team maintains that 10 of the 15
charges are so legally flawed that they must be
thrown out of court.
Using phrases such as "fatally defective'' to describe
the latest indictment, Bonds' attorneys argue that
baseball's all-time home run king cannot defend
himself because many of the perjury allegations are
too vague.
The legal arguments in many respects are similar to
those raised by Bonds earlier this year, when
defense lawyers persuaded U.S. District Judge Susan
Illston to order prosecutors to redraft their original
five-count perjury indictment. That indictment was
brought in November, and was replaced with the
new version in May containing 14 perjury charges
and one count of obstructing justice.
While it is unclear what will become of the latest
legal wrangling, the heart of the government's case
remains the same and is expected to eventually
proceed. Bonds is accused of lying to the grand jury
probing the Balco steroids scandal as he chased
baseball's home run records.
The new indictment charges Bonds with 14 separate
false statements to the Balco grand jury, all centered
on his steroid use and relationship with his former
personal trainer, Greg Anderson. He also faces the
one obstruction charge.
Bonds has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and
has been an unsigned free agent throughout the
current baseball season. Illston has scheduled the
trial for March.
Federal prosecutors are expected to respond to
Bonds' latest legal salvo next month. A routine
hearing is scheduled in the case Friday.
Will it never end? His career is over. Is this how you want your government to spend your money? I don't think so.:shakehead: