Barry Bonds lied when he testified he never used steroids, prosecutor says

A federal prosecutor told the jury in the Barry Bonds trial here that the former San Francisco Giant deliberately lied to a grand jury when he testified he had never knowingly used anabolic steroids.

"The defendant was given immunity,” Assistant U.S. Atty. Matthew Parrella told the jury. “All he had to do was tell the truth. That’s all he had to do, was tell the truth, but he couldn’t do it. And the evidence will show that he planned not to do it.”

Parrella told the jurors that he will present evidence that will show Bonds was taking steroids before his grand jury appearance and had told others of his steroid use. The prosecutor said Bonds claimed to grand jurors that he believed the substances he was taking were flaxseed oil and arthritis cream.

“Quite frankly, an utterly ridiculous and unbelievable story,” Parrella said.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston sustained a defense objection to that remark.

Bonds watched Parrella with a solemn expression and occasionally took notes. At one point, one of the jurors yawned as Parrella explained the nature of anabolic steroids.

Bonds is being tried on one count of obstructing justice and three counts of making false statements to a grand jury in 2003 when he testified that he did not knowingly use steroids. A conviction on felony charges would likely impede Bonds’ election to the baseball Hall of Fame, at least in the near term.

Parrella also told the predominantly female jury that it would hear from Kimberly Bell, Bonds' former mistress. Parrella said Bonds' relationship with Bell started when Bonds was married to his first wife and carried over into his second marriage, about 10 years.

The prosecutor said Bell would testify that Bonds told her he was using steroids and suffered sexual dysfunction as a result of the drugs.

Bonds, who bested Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth for most career home runs, has not played since 2007, when he was indicted. No team wanted to hire him after the Giants let him go.

A jury of eight women and four men were chosen Monday to hear the case. Two alternate jurors are women.

The jury includes an older man who said he opposed the congressional hearings into steroid use as a waste of taxpayer money and a student who indicated she was a fan of the Oakland A's, the Giants’ cross-bay rival. Two jurors are African American women.

[Updated 12:08 p.m.: An attorney for home run king Barry Bonds told a federal jury today that Barry Bonds told the truth and “did his best” when he told a grand jury that he never knowingly used anabolic steroids.

Allen Ruby, the lead lawyer for Bonds, also told the jury that three key prosecution witnesses had reasons to dislike Bonds. Ruby argued that they had a falling out with Bonds and lost money when Bonds severed  relationships with them.

Following Ruby’s statements,  U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston sent the jury out of the courtroom and  ordered Greg Anderson, Bonds’ former trainer, to federal prison for refusing to testify. The government has charged that Anderson provided Bonds with illegal steroids and injected him with human growth hormones.

 Illston said she hoped Anderson would change his mind and would keep him confined for contempt “until such time you will testify.” A lawyer for Anderson said he would appeal the decision to a federal appeals court.

During his opening statements, Ruby indicated that he would ask jurors to closely examine the exact words that Bonds used during his 2003 grand jury testimony.

“This is an alleged crime which took place in this building in a grand jury room with a stenographer who took down every word—thankfully,”  Ruby said.

He said Bonds’ testimony did not conflict with laboratory tests of a 2003 Bonds urine sample taken by Major League Baseball and found to have contained banned drugs.

“Words are important,”  Ruby said.   

The defense attorney tried to discredit Kimberly Bell, Bonds’  former mistress and an anticipated  prosecution witness. Ruby said Bell shopped a tell-all book about him and spoke to the media about him.

Steve Hoskins, Bonds' former business manager who also is expected to testify, was being investigated for counterfeiting Bonds’ signature when  the government sought his assistance againt Bonds, Ruby said. The defense lawyer said Bonds’ had reported illegal activity by Hoskins to the FBI.]

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--Maura Dolan in San Francisco

Photo: Former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds leaves the courthouse following the jury selection portion of his perjury trial at the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco on Monday. Credit: Beck Diefenbach / Reuters

Comments

[Mark]

We really shouldn't be wasting public tax money on this... We're spending millions to persecute a guy over baseball records... this is what happens when Washington and private business co-mingle. Nonsense, all of it.

[Mateo Angeleno]

The irony is that the Giants' ring last year was 100% due to the recent relative lack of 'roids in the game.

Not everyone can "stay ahead of the curve" with the skill and speed of Barroid.

[Jess]

"Flaxseed oil and arthritic cream" Yeeeaaahhhhhh, that's....what....it...is.

[bob]

At least, some athletes would overcome the temptation to use steroid drugs as a performance enhancer so why bar steroid usage among jocks. However, steroids are unhealthful according to experts. In a federal court, Bonds is more likely to get a stiffer penalty. You know that illegal immigration is not a misdemeanor or a felony; however, illegal immigrants have committed perjury on the I-9 citizenship status form for the federal government whenever they apply for work here in the United States.

[Jerry from Oakland]

I don't care one way or the other for Barry Bonds but Greg Anderson is a true American hero. Once again he chooses prison over government coercion. He's had twenty eight months of his life taken from him without a trial or an opportunity to defend himself while killers serve less time after being convicted.

[woof-woof]

He lied before a grand jury. He can't get away with this just because he's rich and famous.

[Nik Bear]

Several news organizations have estimated the cost of this Barry Bonds trail at up to $50 million dollars
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2011-03-20-barry-bonds-trial_N.htm
... all the evidence they have is circumstantial (Barry Bonds have never tested positive for steroids) ... if convicted he can spend at most 18 months in a minimum security prison ... is this how the gov't spends our tax dollars???

The star witness? Kimberly Bell. The critical testimony? She claimed steroids diminished Barry’s sexual performance and shriveled his testicles.

Barry Bonds has a big head and small balls and millions of people who don't know him believe he and most of baseball was "juiced." Great case. Great way to spend tens of millions of dollars.

‎"BALCO founder Victor Conte, who received a four-month prison sentence after pleading guilty in 2005 to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering, accuses the government of selective prosecution." ... The person who admitted to selling steroids to hundreds of top athletes got a four-month prison sentence. And tax payers are spending $50 million dollars so Bonds can (if the jury convicts on head size arguments) get a couple years probation?

[pomonasi]

all they need is to get this guy's hat measurement from the 1990 vs 2007. well unless flaxseed oil and arthritic cream side effects result in skull growth

[glove doesn't fit]

What's worse lying to a grand jury or Congress? It's sports, who cares.

Bottomline, Bud Selig and the entire MLB (fans included) knew over half the players were juiced and choose not to act.

Stop wasting taxpayers dollars on this nonsense and prosecute the real criminals like Lindsey Lohan...

[greg]

Watch this closely folks. It will be another example of how money and celebrity status deliver a different "justice" than you or I would receive.

[Evad the Slayer]

Should have posted a photo of him in his uniform where he bulged out due to steroidal use. I guess some of these posters don't much care how the game is played and are all for professionals using any and all means to buff out their muscles. Well, call me old-fashioned, but I like to watch human beings on the field, not steriodal zombies looking like ape men. I hope he is found guilty; I hope he never gets elected to the Hall of Fame; I hope all his records are striken from the pages. Ditto for any and all illegal "enhancement" users.

[David]

WHO CARES!!! Why isn't our US District Court parading Wall Street execs before a grand jury! CitiGroup, AIG, Lehman, Goldman Sachs, all of them. Wall Street created, fostered and lied about the largest scam in world history and sunk millions of people and businesses into the ground. Instead we're worried about a baseball player? CitiGroup paid more in fines in 2004 than Barry Bonds would make in ten MBA lifetimes.

[Saul Wright]

Isn't leaking grand jury testimony a crime? Why were the two reporters treated like heroes for publishing what was supposed to be confidential testimony back when this whole ridiculous fiasco started instead of being prosecuted? Why weren't they held in jail like Anderson for refusing to reveal their source?

Continuing this witch hunt and wasting more money on something this trivial should also be a crime.

[Nanaberthaa]

nik bear,
you are mistaken,Bonds did test positive for ped's.although he is not being prosecuted for being a steroid user he still lied when saying he did not know he was a steroid user.and anyone that says they don't know what they are using is outright stupid.