Aug 07 2010
Bonds Trial Date Set, Donation to Journalists Criticized
After a very long legal battle whether steroid evidences should be accepted in court, both parties have agreed on the trial date set by Judge Susan Illston. The steroid perjury case of Barry Bonds is set on March 21, 2011. This is despite the failure of the prosecution to convince the appeals court to accept alleged positive steroid tests of Bonds. US District Judge Susan Illston of San Francisco asked both parties to file lists of planned witnesses not later than October 15.
Bonds is facing 11 felony charges by lying to a federal grand jury in 2003. This was in connection with his testimony on the BALCO investigation where he told the jury that he never knowingly took anabolic steroids. He pled not guilty but other respondents in the investigation pleaded guilty and spent some time in jail. BALCO founder Victor Conte was charged with distribution of performance enhancing drugs and trainer Greg Anderson’s refusal to testify against Bonds landed him in jail.
The prosecution is still optimistic that they have enough evidences that will send Barry Bonds to prison. Even if the court did not allow the inclusion of steroid tests pertaining to Bonds without the testimony of Anderson, they are still confident that they have a strong case against the slugger. The prosecutors are holding major witnesses including Bonds ex-girlfriend and a former teammate. According to prosecutors, these people know or have been told by Bonds about his use of anabolic steroids. Another important evidence for the prosecution is the drug test result they’ve got from the Major League Baseball.
On the other hand, the defense counsels of the former San Francisco Giants are not worried. They feel that without the testimony of Anderson, the prosecution has a very weak case against their client. And the favorable ruling of the appeals court is also a sign that they will win the case.
Bonds said in his testimony that what Anderson told and gave him were benign substances used to treat arthritis and flaxseed oil. He also has no knowledge of any positive steroid tests which the prosecution alleges. However, there were reports that confirm Bonds’ steroid use. In the report of NBCMiami, a 2006 book entitled “Game of Shadows,” which was written by sportswriters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada, Bonds allegedly used different types of steroids including stanozolol.
Meanwhile, the donation by Bonds to an association of journalist was criticized. He recently donated more than $20,000 to the National Association of Black Journalists. The fund will be used for the “Entrepreneurial Spirit Award,” which will be named after the Bay Area broadcaster Ray Taliaferro. Retired sports icons are applauded every time they donate to charities and other organizations but it is not the same for Bonds. Some writers believe that Bonds wants to have a better press coverage during his trial. Whether he will be acquitted or convicted of the charges, a good relationship with the press will help mitigate the impact of the trial to his reputation.
Barry Bonds is the home run record king. However, his achievement was tainted with his alleged steroids use.
[...] Barry Bonds is back in the Giants but this was only for the Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. The home run king together with J. T. Snow, Shawon Dunston, and Robb Nen, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game starts. Bonds is still considered a hero for the Giants. Gracing the event puts the players in their best performance. The San Francisco Giants won against the Phillies in that game. However, the question whether Barry Bonds will be able to win his steroid perjury case is still hanging and probably will last for a few more years before the case will be closed. [...]
[...] home run king, Barry Bonds, ask the court Friday to bar the testimonies of several baseball players on the start of his trial [...]