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Feds want to line up ducks before indicting Bonds
By Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin July 11, 2006 |
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The U.S. Attorney's office in San Francisco is contemplating indicting San Francisco Giant outfielder Barry Bonds on perjury and tax evasion on his earlier testimony given to the Grand Jury. U.S Attorney Kevin Ryan in San Francisco, will not pursue the indictment unless all the facts are in order and that at least 12 grand jury members out of the 23 have agreed that a indictment for the charges maybe assessed to the San Francisco slugger. The U.S. Attorney will not pursue the case to make a plea bargain they will pursue Bonds if it's for keeps and nothing else. "It will be because they believe they have enough to convict, not because they think it will give them leverage or result in a plea or something like that," said Long Island attorney Rick Collins who is the author of the book ‘Legal Muscle: Anabolic in America’. The wait and see period might be just around the corner as prosecutors have had testimony from Bonds physician Dr. Arthur Ting, Giants trainer Stan Conte, and Bonds former girlfriend Kimberly Bell. Blood and urine records from Dr. Ting's office might hold knowledge as to whether or not Bonds was using steroids or human growth hormones and what Dr. Ting knew given he performed surgery on Bonds two knees. In Conte's case the prosecution asked for records, test samples on blood and urine. The government is trying to follow his development and growth and also prove to the grand jury that Bonds used and knew he was using steroids. The most damning evidence may come from Bonds girlfriend Kimberly Bell, who was given $80,000 from Bonds during their relationship, and Bonds also bought Bell a house in Arizona, but stopped making the house payments, and at that point their relationship ceased. Reports have attributed Bell saying that during the relationship Bonds had told her he was using Anabolic Steroids before getting involved with BALCO and its founder Victor Conte. Bell also moved back to San Mateo after the split and was considering writing a book on the experience. Greg Anderson, Bonds’ personal trainer is currently incarcerated on a contempt of court charge for refusing to testify to the grand jury about his friend Barry Bonds. Anderson has requested for a release through his attorney Mark Geragos. Geragos is requesting the appeal after making a deal with the grand jury on Anderson's admission of admitting distributing illegal steroids and Anderson has served three months in prison and three months house arrest in that first deal. Geragos said that Anderson has already paid his debt. Judge William Alsup has sentenced Anderson to an indefinite term in jail for contempt until the grand jury is done with its investigation something that is expected to be completed in the next two weeks. Also expected to be completed by that time is the decision to indict Bonds on not. Senior officials from MLB have said that there is enough damning evidence that Bonds knew all along that he was taking steroids and human growth hormones. The distribution, the players who knew, and the people who took steroids with Bonds is yet to be forthcoming. Former Giants A.J. Pierzynski, Benito Santiago, Marvin Bernard, Armando Rios, and Bobby Estella are just a few of the players who have testified in the grand jury trial. Different players have been asked about the possible indictment on Bonds and all are keeping an arm's distance from the topic as they were asked about it before the All-Star game on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh: Jose Reyes New York Mets, "I don't know and I don't want to talk about it." "I don't get caught up in that story because we're on the east coast and they're on the west coast." said Toronto pitcher B.J. Ryan. And finally this from Dodgers President Tommy Lasorda, "I have no idea whats going to happen, so there's no sense of commenting." Joe Cronin and Ken Gimblin co-host Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento Quote Sources: KNTV NBC 11 San Jose and New York Daily News. |
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