feds will never convict bonds

[smazza]

Bonds pleads not guilty to all charges 

Associated Press, Updated 49 minutes ago  STORY TOOLS:                       

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Barry Bonds let one of his six lawyers say the words: "Not guilty."

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Bonds' lawyer statement

Barry Bonds' lawyer speaks after the former Giant star pleads not guility and is released on five hundred thousand dollars bail.

Fox News Bonds' report

No courtroom drama, no surprises.

Flanked by an entourage of lawyers and family members, baseball's home run king smiled, waved and made eye contact with fans Friday as he made his first court appearance since being charged with lying under oath about using steroids.

Bonds' new lawyer entered a not guilty plea in U.S. District Court to the four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice contained in the Nov. 15 indictment.

Afterward, defense attorney Allen Ruby didn't waste any time, saying he would soon ask a judge to toss out the case because of "defects" in the indictment. He declined to elaborate.

If convicted, legal experts say Bonds could spend up to 2½ years in prison.

The 43-year-old said little during the 30-minute hearing. He appeared relaxed as he smiled and chatted with his cadre of six attorneys. He then stood before the judge with his hands clasped behind his back and said: "I'm Barry Bonds."

Barry Bonds was mobbed by media and onlookers as he entered the courthouse Friday morning. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)

He was allowed to go free without posting any bail, but if he violates the terms of his release or misses any required court appearances, he'll forfeit $500,000. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Feb. 7, but Bonds might not have to attend.

"Barry Bonds is innocent," Ruby told a crushing throng of television cameras and reporters outside the courthouse afterward. "He has trust and faith in the justice system."

Bonds made a similar statement on his Web site.

"I still have confidence in the judicial system and especially in the judgment of the citizens who will decide this case," he said. "And I know that when all of this is over, I will be vindicated because I am innocent.

Prosecutors wanted Bonds to turn over his passport and restrict his travel within the United States. But the judge declined after Ruby said such a restriction would interfere with his ability to make a living, preventing him from going to Toronto to play for or against the Blue Jays.

"Mr. Bonds is a Major League Baseball player," Ruby said.

Bonds, who played the past 15 seasons in San Francisco, is a free agent. His agent said Thursday he spoke formally to 24 teams at baseball's winter meetings this week. One possible destination for Bonds is across the bay with the Oakland Athletics, who open the 2008 season against the Boston Red Sox in Japan.

The indictment charges Bonds with lying when he testified he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs, even though prosecutors say he flunked a private steroids test in 2000. Bonds' personal surgeon, Dr. Arthur Ting, collected the blood sample and is expected to be called as a witness if Bonds' case goes to trial.

Former Giants teammates and other players, including Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi, also could testify at the trial, which wouldn't begin until late next year at the earliest.

Investigators also say they seized other evidence, including an alleged "doping calendar" maintained by Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson, who spent about a year in jail for refusing to help investigators.

Anderson, who was released after Bonds was indicted, still could be called to testify at the trial. His lawyer said Friday that Anderson will again refuse, meaning prosecutors could ask the judge to send him back to prison for contempt.

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"I fully expect the government to start ratcheting up the pressure on Greg," attorney Mark Geragos said. "He will never cooperate with the government. He doesn't trust them."

Bonds' new defense team, assembled in the days leading up to his first court appearance, is expected to attack the credibility of some of the government's key witnesses, including Bonds' former mistress and a one-time business partner who had a bitter split with the slugger over memorabilia sales.

Legal experts also say the reliability of the drug test, seized during a raid of the BALCO steroids lab, will be subject to fierce scrutiny by Bonds' lawyers.

Bonds quietly turned himself in to U.S. Marshals on Thursday to be booked and have his mug shot taken, a process that typically occurs the same day as a defendant's initial appearance.

He arrived at the courthouse Friday in a black sports-utility vehicle with his wife, Liz. He pushed through the crowd of reporters and onlookers, went through the security checkpoint and made his way to the 19th floor courtroom with his legal team amid a heavy security presence.

Bonds, who wore a dark blue suit and tie, quietly answered "yes" when asked if he understood his right to counsel. If he couldn't afford a lawyer, the federal magistrate judge told him, one would be appointed for him.

Bonds, who made nearly $20 million last year playing for the Giants, was flanked by six private lawyers, including high-priced criminal defense attorneys Ruby and Cristina Arguedas, and noted appellate specialist Dennis Riordan.

Bonds, long represented by local attorney Michael Rains, added the new lawyers to his team for their federal court experience, which Rains lacks.

Arguedas and her firm represented several athletes called to testify before the BALCO grand jury, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Parrella told the judge there was "a potential conflict of interest with some of the attorneys," though he didn't name them.

Parrella said he would file court papers on the issue, which could be debated at the Feb. 7 hearing. If so, Bonds would be required to attend because he might have to formally waive any conflict concerns. Otherwise, the judge said Bonds could skip that hearing.

In the courthouse lobby after the hearing, Bonds ran up to and hugged an elderly woman with a walker who had been denied entrance because she lacked the proper security clearance. "Hey, that's my aunt," Bonds shouted.

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It was Rosie Bonds Kreidler, sister of Bonds' father, ex-major leaguer Bobby Bonds. The two chatted for about 10 minutes, and she showed him newspaper clips and other mementos from his career. Then Bonds hugged her again and said goodbye.

As Bonds emerged from the courthouse, a small gathering of fans chanted "Barry, Barry." He navigated the crush of cameras, waved to his supporters and departed with his wife in the black SUV.

Across the street, a tire store marquee noted for its quirky quotations echoed the sentiments of many Giants fans, who remained loyal to Bonds even as he chased baseball's career home run mark amid steroid allegations and the scorn of fans almost everywhere else:

"Say it ain't so, Barry."

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7536410

[smazza]

what a waste of  time and money

[Matt]

what a waste of  time and money

yep.

modern day salem witch trials

[gobulls83]

what a waste of  time and money

yep.

modern day salem witch trials

This is not an apt comparison. Perjury (of which Bonds is accused) and steroid use (of which Bonds is accused of perjuring himself) are concrete and provable. Witchcraft is a myth, and as such is impossible to prove or disprove. Furthermore, perjury and steroid use are pretty blatantly and objectively illegal, while other "witch hunts" (i.e., targeting of "communists" during the Cold War and targeting of "terrorists" today) are pretty subjective in terms of the meaning of the labels and are of questionable legality.

If your argument is that steroid use should be legal, than say that. But this is not a "witch hunt."

[smazza]

what a waste of  time and money

yep.

modern day salem witch trials

This is not an apt comparison. Perjury (of which Bonds is accused) and steroid use (of which Bonds is accused of perjuring himself) are concrete and provable. Witchcraft is a myth, and as such is impossible to prove or disprove. Furthermore, perjury and steroid use are pretty blatantly and objectively illegal, while other "witch hunts" (i.e., targeting of "communists" during the Cold War and targeting of "terrorists" today) are pretty subjective in terms of the meaning of the labels and are of questionable legality.

If your argument is that steroid use should be legal, than say that. But this is not a "witch hunt."

witch hunt is more like it

read the indictment

feds witnesses are ex ho and ex business partner

i love seeing prosecutors getting embarassed

[smazza]

what a waste of  time and money

yep.

modern day salem witch trials

This is not an apt comparison. Perjury (of which Bonds is accused) and steroid use (of which Bonds is accused of perjuring himself) are concrete and provable. Witchcraft is a myth, and as such is impossible to prove or disprove. Furthermore, perjury and steroid use are pretty blatantly and objectively illegal, while other "witch hunts" (i.e., targeting of "communists" during the Cold War and targeting of "terrorists" today) are pretty subjective in terms of the meaning of the labels and are of questionable legality.

If your argument is that steroid use should be legal, than say that. But this is not a "witch hunt."

you cannot objective prove perjury

it is subjective

whether trier of fact believes evidence

[gobulls83]

what a waste of  time and money

yep.

modern day salem witch trials

This is not an apt comparison. Perjury (of which Bonds is accused) and steroid use (of which Bonds is accused of perjuring himself) are concrete and provable. Witchcraft is a myth, and as such is impossible to prove or disprove. Furthermore, perjury and steroid use are pretty blatantly and objectively illegal, while other "witch hunts" (i.e., targeting of "communists" during the Cold War and targeting of "terrorists" today) are pretty subjective in terms of the meaning of the labels and are of questionable legality.

If your argument is that steroid use should be legal, than say that. But this is not a "witch hunt."

you cannot objective prove perjury

it is subjective

whether trier of fact believes evidence

Sure you can:

Bonds in 2003: "I never used steroids."

Prosecutors in 2008: "We have a drug test from 2000 that says you failed it."

Bonds in 2008: "I never knew about that."

Prosecutors: "..."

They can say any number of things there. Maybe they have a witness who was in meeting with Bonds about the failed drug test. Maybe they have a piece of paper with Bonds' signature on it. I don't know, I'm not part of the trial. But perjury can be proved.

[Joe]

They don't have much, I think Smazza is right.

[Velcro]

They wouldn't have gotten this far if they didn't have much.  What is the success rates for federal indictments?  exactly. 

Bond's only hope is finding a technicallity to get off.