Apr 14, 2011


Barry Bonds guilty of obstructing steroid investigation

Former San Francisco baseball star misled federal grand jury under oath in 2003
Former San Francisco Giants baseball player Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds has been found guilty of obstructing justice in a San Francisco court. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters
Barry Bonds, the US baseball star Barry Bonds has been found guilty in San Francisco of obstruction of justice in relation to a federal investigation into the use of steroids by athletes.
But the judge declared a mistrial on three charges of perjury after the jury failed to reach a verdict.
The obstruction charge could mean a custodial sentence.
Bonds, 46, was accused of lying to a federal grand jury in 2003 when he said under oath he had taken two substances identified as steroids but that he had been unaware they had been steroids.
He had also said nobody other than his doctor had injected him with anything.
Bonds, who spent much of his career with the San Francisco Giants, hit 762 home runs, more than any other player in the history of Major League Baseball.
His lawyers asked for the guilty verdict in relation to obstruction be thrown out. Judge Susan Illston did not rule on the request and set 20 May for a hearing in the case.
During the 12-day trial, the prosecution claimed Greg Anderson, Bond's personal trainer, had provided him with steroids. Anderson was jailed at the start of the trial for refusing to testify against him but was released after the prosecution and defence wound up.
Bonds's personal shopper, Kathy Hoskins, testified she had seen Anderson inject Bonds in 2002.
Bonds got caught up in an investigation into a company selling illegal drugs to athletes.

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