Government Drops Charge Against Barry Bonds

[TheOrangeCat]

and the fiasco continues to unwind .......

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/06/us-barrybonds-trial-idUSTRE7356MS20110406

 

[Ulysses31]

Didn't he used to manage West Ham, that's reason enough to get locked up IMO.

 

[STDiva]

WTF is the government getting invloved for in the first place???

 

[Moonchild22]

Barry Bonds - the ballplayer
or
Berry Bonds - the flavored adhesive? (it's fruity taste really sticks with you)

 

[CunningStunts]

WTF is the government getting invloved for in the first place???

Did he lie to Congress of a Federal investigator or something?:dunno:

 

[STDiva]

Did he lie to Congress of a Federal investigator or something?:dunno:

He's on trial for perjury, but he should never have been in court for taking steroids in the first place. Let MLB deal with it.

 

[TheOrangeCat]

Just another case of an over-ambitious, bitter little middle management Government worker getting his knickers in a twist and setting out to use the government to pursue what was and remains a personal vendetta.

Putting aside the fact that Bonds IS a lying cheat, it's not something the Federal Government should be spending tens of million of dollars, and more than five years, pursuing.

 

[Will E Worm]

Federal prosecutors dropped one of five charges against Barry Bonds on Wednesday as the baseball home run king's lawyers rested their case without calling any witnesses.

One of five. Vital information you left out. :hatsoff:

Closings offered in Barry Bonds trial

Making a final appeal to jurors before they decide whether Barry Bonds lied about taking steroids, defense attorney Allen Ruby offered a simple explanation Thursday for why the government has spent years pursuing the home run king: "He was Barry."

Bonds is charged with lying to a grand jury during a Dec. 4, 2003, session when he denied knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs and said no one but his doctors gave him an injection of any kind. He was indicted more than three years ago.

Ruby told the jury during his closing argument that two prosecutors attempted to "intimidate" Bonds during that 2003 court appearance by switching places 36 times to question the slugger.

"The prosecutors were being very cagey," said Ruby, alleging the government lawyers were attempting to confuse and humiliate Bonds. Ruby said the prosecutors failed -- and they were angered by Bonds' demeanor.

More...Article

Barry Bonds trial: Why?

Can somebody pleae explain why the United States government is spending all this money trying to put someone in jail who is clearly no threat to society, already has had his career ruined (unlike the Wall Street guys who actually damaged the economy and got away not only without criminal charges but with increased riches) and at worst, lied about something that he knew would leak out?

More...Article

I agree, the case is weak, the federal government overstepped their bounds, once again.

This is the job of Major League Baseball.

 

[Jagger69]

It's about BALCO, not Bonds. They need to get to him to get to them because Greg Anderson is willing to go to jail instead of telling the Feds what he knows (I wonder how much Barry has offered him to keep his mouth shut and do the time?). Barry set himself up for this when he perjured himself in front of the grand jury. It's a criminal offense and that's why he's on trial.

The case is indeed weak without Anderson so I'm not sure the government was wise to go to trial but hey....your tax dollars at work!

 

[D-rock]

This does seem like a waste of time, money, and resources for the type of crime they think was committed. I have a feeling if this wasn't about a celebrity or didn't involve major sports and other famous athletes that the case would either have been dropped or settled a long time ago and the prosecutors would now be bringing cases up against much more serious crimes and bringing dangerous people to justice instead.

 

[John_8581]

:2offtopic Though we all know that Roger Clemens did perjure himself when testifying to Congress.



Yes Jagger69 it is about the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative. The US prosecutor in the Barry Bonds case, shouldn't have even gone to trial. Expert witnesses, from The Chronicle wouldn't testify, and more contempt charges came about as would Greg Anderson, Bonds' trainer. Then they dropped the charges from 27 down to 12. Lastly, their expert witness the doctor was made a laughing stock by the Bonds defense team.

I just hope the Baseball Writers of America do not ever vote Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Ralphael Palmeiro, or Sammy Sosa into the Baseball HOF. They don't belong since they cheated.

And Barry didn't need to do it. On pure baseball skills, 5 MVPs before steroids, 2 after. He cheated, he's out!!

 

[HeartBroker]

Congress lies.
They just don't like it when they are lied to.


Fuckin' bunch of hypocrites...

 

[Facetious]

I just hope the Baseball Writers of America do not ever vote Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Ralphael Palmeiro, or Sammy Sosa into the Baseball HOF. They don't belong since they cheated.

Oh, just give it ten years from now when all is forgotten . . .
inducted - inducted - inducted - repeat - repeat.

''When fans come to the ballpark they want Home Runs, period!''

 

[StanScratch]

Congress sort of did have to get involved.
On its own, baseball literally and completely turned a blind eye to steroid usage. Bud Selig, being the usual coward, refused to do anything without an act of Congress. The player's union refused for anything to happen in order to "protect its own". The owners sure as hell weren't going to do anything - home runs are sexy and puts butts in the seats. Plus, it's a hell of a lot easier to ignore a problem, rather than to try to come up with a solution.

 

[Jagger69]

:2offtopic Though we all know that Roger Clemens did perjure himself when testifying to Congress.

Yes indeed he did....and he'll get his turn on the hot seat here in about 3 months. Remember folks....this isn't about steroids. It's about perjury before a grand jury.

Barry dug his own hole. I don't feel sorry for him or any of these other cheaters. You cheat, you lie, you get caught and you pay the consequences. That's life. Deal with it.

 

[Will E Worm]

Congress lies.
They just don't like it when they are lied to.


Fuckin' bunch of hypocrites...

They sure are. The majority of them are guitly of treason.

Barry set himself up for this when he perjured himself in front of the grand jury. It's a criminal offense and that's why he's on trial.

Bill Clinton perjured himself. That would make him guilty of treason.
That and many other things.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

WTF is the government getting invloved for in the first place???

He's on trial for perjury, but he should never have been in court for taking steroids in the first place. Let MLB deal with it.

This is the job of Major League Baseball.

This is what I've thought all along. I mean, seriously? Our government dealing with this piddly shit? Completely insane. It makes me want to get to the people in our government who thought it was a good idea to start this circus show and head butt each and every one of them in the face. :2offtopic

 

[Jagger69]

Bill Clinton perjured himself. That would make him guilty of treason.
That and many other things.

As usual, you're wrong Will E.

"The Constitution of the United States, Art. III, defines treason against the United States to consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort."

Source:

http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/t103.htm

Perjury is not necessarily treason (especially lying about getting a fucking blowjob ). It's perjury. Clinton was tried for it if you recall and was acquitted (Remember the impeachment? Talk about a witch hunt!).

The two cases have nothing to do with each other other than the perjury connection.

This is what I've thought all along. I mean, seriously? Our government dealing with this piddly shit? Completely insane. It makes me want to get to the people in our government who thought it was a good idea to start this circus show and head butt each and every one of them in the face. :2offtopic

OK....one more time everyone. He's on trial for perjury, not taking steroids. You can't just blow off perjury because it was allegedly committed by Barry Bonds or Bill Clinton or whomever. It's not "piddly shit". It's a vital portion of the law as it applies to judicial protocol.

I guess some of you think it's OK to lie under oath in a legal proceeding? Sounds like it.

 

[pete rose]

Baseball is serious business, I guess.

 

[Elwood70]

Oh, just give it ten years from now when all is forgotten . . .
inducted - inducted - inducted - repeat - repeat.

Pete Rose disagrees with you...

''When fans come to the ballpark they want Home Runs, period!''

Not true fans. I want to see a good game,not a home-run derby.