Barry Bonds indicted on perjury, obstruction charges

[Number_Fourteen]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction of justice charges, culminating a four-year federal investigation into whether he lied under oath to a grand jury looking into steroid use by elite athletes.

The indictment came three months after the 43-year-old Bonds passed Hank Aaron to become baseball's career home run leader. Bonds parted ways with the San Francisco Giants after the season.

While Bonds was chasing Aaron, a grand jury was working behind closed doors to put the finishing touches on the long-rumored indictment.

[Goten]

Kobe was also indicted, and he seems to be doing fine.

Where's the big news?

[Stephenk29]

I wonder how much this will affect him being signed by anyone?

[Number_Fourteen]

Uh, Kobe was wrongfully accused? Two different cases.

[Number_Fourteen]

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 obstruciton of justice -- 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.

It touched the NFL with several current and former players called to testify including former All-Pro linebacker Bill Romanowski.

It also sparked the ongoing debate surrounding Major League Baseball and its problems with athletes taking performance enhancing drugs. It's a debate that has gone to such lengths that the home run ball that Bonds ripped out of AT&T Park to break Hank Aaron's all-time record was headed to the Baseball Hall of Fame tattooed with an asterisk.

The charges against Bonds stem from his Dec.4, 2003 grand jury testimony when he allegedly testified that he did not knowingly take performance enhancing drugs.

Bonds trainer and friend Greg Anderson was convicted in the BALCO case on grand jury charges, served time in jail and returned to prison when he refused to testify again against Bonds. He remains in jail.

But others have allegedly testified to the grand jury that Bonds had admitted to using steroids produced by BALCO including the slugger's former mistress Kimberly Bell and a former childhood friend Stevie Hoskins.

The tax charges stem from cash Bonds allegedly collected -- and did not report to the Internal Revenue Service -- from memorabilia shows.

Bonds broke Hank Aaron's record with his 756th home run on Aug. 7 -- an event not without plenty additional drama brought on by the federal drug probe.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig grudgingly attended the games leading up to Bonds historic homer and Aaron did not travel to AT&T Park to witness the feat in person.

The large banners commemorating the record still hang from the light posts on either side of the main center-field scoreboard at AT&T Park.

Bonds ripped 762 homers in his 22 major league season and has recently talked about continuing his career else, possibly in nearby Oakland where the American League's designated hitter rule would allow him to bat but not play in the field where his aging body has robbed him of speed and quickness.

[Goten]

No judge.

No defense attorney.

No public scrutiny.

Most competent prosecutors could indict a cup of coffee if they wanted to.

That it took 4 years to get the indictment is interesting in itself.

[GoReds33]

That took longer than expected. Hopefully he will not be able to play next year. He's done anyway.

[mroby85]

it's been a witch hunt for bonds forever now, eventually they were going to get him.

[robmadden1]

With all the charges ESPN reporting hew could get 30yrs in prison if he isf ound guillty on all charges.

[redsfanmia]

With all the charges ESPN reporting hew could get 30yrs in prison if he isf ound guillty on all charges.

Bonds is rich so its not going to happen.

[ChatterRed]

Where'd you hear this about Bonds?

[Moosie52]

He could get 30 years in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice. How is this any different than Bill Clinton's lying under oath? Both of them were lying to protect themselves. This is ridiculous.

[AmarilloRed]

Perjury is a very difficult charge to prove. If he is found guilty of anything it will be Obstruction of Justice.

[as_v_1]

Bonds is done. He has played his last MLB game.

[TexRed]

His baseball career is now over. I perceive this as a calculated move, timed to occur after the season. I also think there are more to follow, i.e., Giambi (depending on how much contract money he has remaining), etal. This game is controlled by the owners and they do not want congressional intervention, period. Nor do they want to lose money if a profile player comes under investigation/scrutiny.