Barry Bonds Perjury Trial Focuses on Doping

• Tweet

• Tweet

Lately we’ve been talking about some fairly heavy legal issues with far reaching effects — class actions, sex discrimination, IPOs, and worker’s comp — so we figured it was time for some local legal news. Lucky for us, the Barry Bonds trial is happening in our own back yard.

What brings homerun king Barry Bonds to court? Charges of federal perjury, namely that he lied to a federal grand jury back in 2003 when he said he never knowingly took steroids. Baseball fans (or San Francisco locals) may recall the BALCO scandal where Bonds’ trainer Greg Anderson was charged with supplying anabolic performance-enhancing steroids to athletes. At the time, Bonds testified that he used both a clear substance and a cream with the understanding that they were natural supplements, flaxseed oil and an arthritis cream. Bonds also attributed his outstanding baseball records to a new diet and exercise regimen. Subsequently, Anderson struck a deal with the prosecutors to not reveal the names of any players who may have used steroids, which are banned drugs.

Apparently Bonds’ testimony was hard to swallow, since in 2007 he was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. While he’s not being charged with the crime of using illegal drugs, his alleged steroid use is what’s being most hotly debated in the court. Lawyers have to prove that he knowingly doped up in order to prove the perjury charges.

On the witness stand thus far jurors have heard testimony from doctors on the effects of steroid use, from Bonds’ ex-girlfriend on the physiological and emotional changes the athlete went through during that period, and most recently from former players who received performance-enhancing drugs from Anderson. The one person we haven’t heard from is Anderson himself, who refuses to testify.

While there’s certainly drama in the courts when a major cultural figure is on trial, the charges seem somewhat anticlimactic. Giants fans have moved on with a World Series win, and it’s been years since the doping issue has been in the news. Though he hasn’t officially retired, Bonds has stopped playing baseball, and whether or not he knowingly took steroids, his reputation has been tainted. Then again, Michael Vick got a chance at redemption after his incarceration for dog fighting, so who knows, if Bonds gets back in shape (legally, of course) he may have a shot at finally topping 3,000 hits.

Related articles

• Ex-Giants trainer testifies at Bonds trial (espn.com)
• Testimony: Barry Bonds knew trainer sold steroids (sfgate.com)
• Blast from the Past – Barry Bonds Goes to Trial for Perjury (legallyeasy.rocketlawyer.com)
• Barry Bonds trial: former Athletic Velarde says injections gave him more ‘endurance and strength’ (mercurynews.com)