Barry Bonds Indicted

[Mr. X]

for perjury and obstruction of justice.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3112487

It took not one, not two, but three grand juries to be convened before they brought down this indictment and Bonds isn't being charged with any other criminal acts. I'm not a Barry Bonds fan by any means but I have some mixed feelings about the propriety of these charges. It has the feel of a selective prosecution. Apparently the SanFran DOJ office was split on whether to seek the indictment (and that's never a good sign in a marginal case like this).

Maybe we need a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for this steroid crackdown. Instead of going on witch hunts with claims of selective prosecution have an amnesty program where you bring in all high profile athletes suspected of steroid use and give them an opportunity to come clean (and rat out their distributors in the process). Give them one (and only one) bite at the amnesty apple. Up to now the Feds are not prosecuting athletes for using illegal steroids; only the people who have distributed them. Change that so in the future they will feel the deterrent effect of a possible jail sentence if they're on the juice.

Pick a date (a sort of line in the sand if you will) and declare that users (in addition to their suppliers) will be prosecuted from that point forward. Might be a way to nip it in the bud instead of doing these piecemeal selective prosecutions which will invariably lead to charges of racial bias and so forth. It will never happen but it might just be the best way to handle the situation.

[wang_chi7]

About time he was indicted, this could have a huge effect on steroid users. If he gets a heavy sentence, many will think twice. Not that I want a sentence only to make a point, he should get the same sentence as anybody else found guilty of the same crime.

It will be very tough to find a fair jury though, everybody knows who Bonds is and his story. I hate the guy, but he deserves a fair trial.

I agree with you X, but its the federal way to catch the big dogs and let the users go. That won't change. They think it has more of an effect on illegal drugs because closing down one seller hurts many people where catching one user only stops himself.

[Mr. X]

About time he was indicted, this could have a huge effect on steroid users. If he gets a heavy sentence, many will think twice.

Except he wasn't charged for using steroids; he was charged for perjury.

[wang_chi7]

Except he wasn't charged for using steroids; he was charged for perjury.

I understand that. But he committed perjury by saying he didn't use steroids. Therefore if he is proven guilty, it is because of steroids. It should effect the steroid use around sports knowing a mega star was thrown behind bars.

I understand it isn't the same because if others would just admit it up front and not lie under oath they wouldn't get the same sentence. Nor should they. But it would open eyes. I'd think anyways.

[Minniman]

If they don't want to be selective, they should bring in Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro for perjury in their testimony to Congress.

[wang_chi7]

If they don't want to be selective, they should bring in Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro for perjury in their testimony to Congress.

Palmeiro they could catch, I don't know if they could prove McGwire though.

[Minniman]

Palmeiro they could catch, I don't know if they could prove McGwire though.

There are people connected to the Oakland A's that could likely finger him.

And Sosa was caught using a corked bat. Some group of sports heroes these guys are.

[wang_chi7]

And Sosa was caught using a corked bat. Some group of sports heroes these guys are.

No kidding. The corked bat was only the tip of Sosa's cheating iceberg too. And he used to be one of my favorite players, when I was naive about the steroid problem.

What really bugged me about the Congressional hearings was Schilling though. He was outspoken about cleaning up the game until it came to a point where it mattered. Then he sat there and said little, pretty much denying any knowledge of a problem.

That and Frank Thomas was forgotten on his video screen. He wasn't asked anything and eventually wasn't even present. Very weird. I was especially looking forward to what he and Schill had to say because both had said they wanted testing.

[Mr. X]

If the Feds don't have Greg Anderson (the personal trainer and alleged supplier of the juice) on board to testify against Bonds this will not be an easy case to prove IMO. From what I've read Anderson's release from prison today was coincidental and does not necessarily indicate that he's going to cooperate. The Feds say they have proof that Bonds tested positive for steroids but that is allegedly from Victor Conte's records and that should be fairly easy for a defense attorney to impugn (and could possibly be ruled inadmissible depending on a whole range of issues and not even make into evidence).

[PurpleMustReign]

I'm not a Barry Bonds fan by any means but I have some mixed feelings about the propriety of these charges. It has the feel of a selective prosecution.

That's what I thought too. I think they just indicted him just because its what everyone else wanted-type of thing.
But there is little doubs he did perjure himself, and little doubt that he used steroids, so we'll see what comes of it.

[Magnus1959]

They say 54% of people on steroids in baseball are pitchers. Why all the focus on Bonds? Why do we ignore steroids in football?

[wang_chi7]

They say 54% of people on steroids in baseball are pitchers. Why all the focus on Bonds? Why do we ignore steroids in football?

No kidding, I've been complaing about that for years, especially ignoring it in football. If Shawn Merriman was a baseball player people would just absolutely hate him call for his banishment from the game. Instead he is an All Pro football player. BALCO wasn't just baseball either, track people were caught as were football players. Its quite a double standard.

Heck, a trainer tied to the Cowpokes was just caught ( http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_sto ... 23737.html , http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... d15d5.html ). It hardly made news. Pittsburgh's team doctor also got into some trouble. The trainer story is sort of scetchy, he wasn't actually a team employee, but the Pittsburgh one was a huge deal but really ignored. Both stories would be headline news if it was baseball.

That definitely doesn't excuse baseball players, I want everybody punished equally.

[Cliff]

No kidding, I've been complaing about that for years, especially ignoring it in football. If Shawn Merriman was a baseball player people would just absolutely hate him call for his banishment from the game. Instead he is an All Pro football player. BALCO wasn't just baseball either, track people were caught as were football players. Its quite a double standard.

Heck, a trainer tied to the Cowpokes was just caught ( http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_sto ... 23737.html , http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... d15d5.html ). It hardly made news. Pittsburgh's team doctor also got into some trouble. The trainer story is sort of scetchy, he wasn't actually a team employee, but the Pittsburgh one was a huge deal but really ignored. Both stories would be headline news if it was baseball.

That definitely doesn't excuse baseball players, I want everybody punished equally.

It especially is questionable in football when they seemingly go so hard after people caught using marijuana.

Yet steroid use gets swept under the rug. It's a very weird issue with the NFL.

[wang_chi7]

It especially is questionable in football when they seemingly go so hard after people caught using marijuana.

Yet steroid use gets swept under the rug. It's a very weird issue with the NFL.

Good point. Ricky Williams has missed much of his career because he enjoys grass. That isn't the NFL's business unless he because so dependent on it that it effects his performance.

I'm more blaming the media here (and the public) than the league. Baseball is painted as a cheaters game but football gets a free pass. They likely suffer from the same issues though, namely they are behind the cheaters.

They also ignore pitchers in baseball. They are the ones who really would benefit, especially relievers because steroids and HGH have healing power. Its only about the almighty homerun evidently. Football players mainly get a pass I think because they aren't breaking records, just each other.

Its ridiculous Merriman simply got 4 games for his cheating. Others have gotten the same for an over the counter suppliment that doesn't nearly have the effect. And were honest mistakes. Their drug program needs a heavy overhaul.

[glg]

There are people connected to the Oakland A's that could likely finger him.

As opposed to Palmeiro, I don't think McGwire ever perjured himself. He basically took the 5th before Congress with his "I'm not here to talk about the past".