Homerun king Bonds is indicted in Balco investigation.
Spectators hold up a sign while San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds bats during the first inning against the Houston Astros in Houston, Monday, May 15, 2006. (AP)
Barry Bonds was indicted by the Balco Federal Grand Jury today on perjury and obstruction of justice:
SAN FRANCISCO — Major League Baseball’s all-time home run king Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction justice charges, according to KTVU reporter Rita Williams.
The five-count indictment — four counts of perjury and one of obstruction of justice — could put baseball’s home run king in prison for up to 30 years.
The White House quickly weighed in on the indictment. President Bush is a former owner of the Texas Rangers.
“The president is very disappointed to hear this,” Bush spokesman Tony Fratto said. “As this case is now in the criminal justice system, we will refrain from any further specific comments about it. But clearly this is a sad day for baseball.”
The indictment capped one of the longest federal grand jury investigations in Northern California history — a proceeding that introduced the sports world to the acronym BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative) and led to the downfall of American track and field world and Olympic champions Marion Jones, Kelli White and Tim Montgomery.
There is speculation that Bond’s childhood friend may have snitched on him.
AFP reported:
Also Thursday, long-time Bonds trainer Greg Anderson – one of five men convicted in the BALCO scandal – was ordered by a federal judge to be released from prison, ESPN reported.
Anderson had served his BALCO sentence but was being kept behind bars for refusing to testify against Bonds to the grand jury which had been investigating Bonds for lying to the BALCO grand jury.
The timing of his release could indicate that he has cooperated with prosecutors investigating Bonds, perhaps providing the breakthrough that enabled charges to be filed after four years of investigating Bonds, Jones and others.
Sports Illustrated has excerpts from the indictments.
Right Wing Nut House predicted the indictment.
Previously:
No Love for Barry Bonds as He Moves In On the Babe’s Record
