Bonds faces new indictment with 14 counts of lying to grand jury

[Warhawk]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/05/13/bonds.charges.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Major League Baseball home run record holder Barry Bonds was charged with 14 counts of lying to a grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice in a new indictment that was a result of the BALCO doping investigation.
Bonds originally was charged with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for lying about whether he knowingly used illegal substances on Nov. 15. However, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered government prosecutors on Feb. 29 to rework the indictment so that each charge alleged only one lie rather than combining several alleged falsehoods into single counts.
The new indictment doesn't add any new alleged falsehoods.
The case against Bonds is still built on whether he lied when he told the grand jury that his personal trainer Greg Anderson never supplied him with steroids and human growth hormone.

 

[VF21]

At this point, it certainly appears as though the rest of the league is just not interested in any more of the drama. From what I've read, the player's union is trying to allege some kind of collusion among team owners for not hiring Bonds for this season. Amazing how myopic the union can be.

 

[uolj]

This isn't really a new story, they just re-worked the original indictments to separate each specific instance per the judge's orders.

And I don't think the union is alleging anything VF. They are looking into it but haven't said they actually think there has been any collusion. Nothing wrong with investigating, that's part of what the union is for.

 

[BawLa]

Again, just as usual, nothing new.

These "14 counts" are exactly the same ones that were in the previous 5 (or however many). All they did was "un-group" the individual counts of perjury. But at least it gives the media something to talk about right? Because, heaven forbid, that they could actually do some legitimate journalistic work.

They keep running the same old story and for the first time in about 5 years it seems like the public has finally moved on. I never thought the public would ever get bored with bagging on Bonds, but it seems like that day has finally come. After all, the media took the horse, beat the heck out of it, beat it some more, got a steamroller and rolled over the dead horse, then proceeded to eat all of the meat off the bones, then sucked the bones dry and for the first time in years they throw the public a beat, steamrolled, picked and sucked bone and they don't bite? Wow, I must be getting old...

 

[Warhawk]

Again, just as usual, nothing new.

These "14 counts" are exactly the same ones that were in the previous 5 (or however many). All they did was "un-group" the individual counts of perjury. But at least it gives the media something to talk about right? Because, heaven forbid, that they could actually do some legitimate journalistic work.

Did you read the article?

However, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered government prosecutors on Feb. 29 to rework the indictment so that each charge alleged only one lie rather than combining several alleged falsehoods into single counts.
The new indictment doesn't add any new alleged falsehoods.

 

[VF21]

And I don't think the union is alleging anything VF. They are looking into it but haven't said they actually think there has been any collusion. Nothing wrong with investigating, that's part of what the union is for.

So the union "investigates" every situation where an aging former star isn't picked up for what would undoubtedly be an inflated salary?

Here's the article I read (it's from page C4 of the Bee, Wednesday, May 7)...

The Major League Baseball Players Association has expressed concern to the commissioner's officer over the lack of offers to Barry Bonds, asking for additional information about the offseason's free-agent market. The union did not file a grievance on behalf of Bonds, who hasn't received any offers since the Giants decided not to re-sign him last year and he became a free agent.

"The union notified us that it was investigating potential collusion regarding Barry Bonds and asked for information and we told them that they was absolutely no collusion with respect to Barry Bonds or any other free agent," said Dan Halem, MLB senior vice president and general labor counsel"

I don't have a link because I couldn't find it online.

That sounds like the union is most definitely alleging some kind of possible collusion by the owners. Why else would they say they were "investigating potential collusion?"

 

[uolj]

Expressing concern and wanting to investigate is quite different than actually alleging misconduct. In the articles I read about it, they specifically mention that they aren't alleging anything. They are also looking at other veterans, not just Bonds.

The baseball union in particular often goes beyond what I would consider to be reasonable when sticking up for its players, but really that is its job. To be honest I was surprised (and glad) to see them come off as reasonable here rather than bursting out of the gate with accusations. That's probably why I even chimed in.

 

[kennadog]

I just wonder how old a player has to be before the union wouldn't be concerned about the lack of interest? 50? 60? More? Are they concerned about other players that are good, but no one wants to sign them?

I'm a strong supporter of unions (and was a union member for 20+ years), but sometimes they are ridiculous.

 

[uolj]

Yes, they are concerned about other players. Bonds isn't the only one in the inquiry. And age doesn't matter. It's whether the player can contribute, which Bonds certainly still can.

That said, I really doubt there is any kind of collusion. There are just a lot of teams that think the distractions outweigh the contributions Bonds can make.

 

[kennadog]

Yes, they are concerned about other players. Bonds isn't the only one in the inquiry. And age doesn't matter. It's whether the player can contribute, which Bonds certainly still can.

That said, I really doubt there is any kind of collusion. There are just a lot of teams that think the distractions outweigh the contributions Bonds can make.

I seriously doubt collusion, too. There are plenty of legitimate reasons why any particular team might not want to hire Mr. Bonds.

 

[VF21]

From today's Bee:

Commentary: Price of Bonds is too high for teams
By Paul Gutierrez
Last Updated 6:05 am PDT Friday, May 16, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C4

SAN FRANCISCO – This could have been a weekend of intensified intrigue, when Barry Bonds got his first taste of the Subway Series while wearing Yankee pinstripes and taking his hacks against the Mets' Johan Santana in the Bronx...

...Alas, the 2008 installment of interleague play will be a tad less interesting with no Bonds to play the heavy to the hilt as a designated hitter in the A.L.

But while Bonds, his agent Jeff Borris and the Major League Baseball Players Association might have you believe the still-unemployed home run king is being blackballed as part of some diabolical scheme orchestrated by the commissioner's office, that complaint should fall on deaf ears...

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