Barry Bonds' Perjury Trial

[clyons]

Starts today.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/...onds-trial-day/

 

[Balta1701]

The prosecution rested their case yesterday. The defense rested today without calling a single witness.

[iamshack]

I would love to know the amount of $ that Bonds is paying Anderson...

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

The defense rested today without calling a single witness.

 

Career Walks: 2,558 2,559

[LittleHurt05]

I'd be extremely amused if he walked away not guilty.

[Steve9347]

I'd be extremely amused if he walked away not guilty.

I'm pretty sure it's been all but a known that he's going to...

[The Ginger Kid]

$50 million has been spent prosecuting this guy. That's tax payer dollars. And for what?

[Balta1701]

$50 million has been spent prosecuting this guy. That's tax payer dollars. And for what?

The fact that we don't base prosecutions on how good of a legal team the defendant can buy, but instead on whether or not a crime was committed.

[witesoxfan]

The fact that we don't base prosecutions on how good of a legal team the defendant can buy, but instead on whether or not a crime was committed.

 

Is it justifiable though? It's one dude who has is guilty as hell in the eye of the public and is going to have to deal with the ramifications of heavy steroid use ravaging his body within the next 5-10 years. If he is inducted into the Hall, it's years and years down the road (and I think people who were convicted of steroids are going to struggle to get in no matter what, regardless of what was done before the steroids were allegedly started). Don't you personally think that $50 million could have been spent better?

[Balta1701]

Is it justifiable though? It's one dude who has is guilty as hell in the eye of the public and is going to have to deal with the ramifications of heavy steroid use ravaging his body within the next 5-10 years. If he is inducted into the Hall, it's years and years down the road (and I think people who were convicted of steroids are going to struggle to get in no matter what, regardless of what was done before the steroids were allegedly started). Don't you personally think that $50 million could have been spent better?

Should we decide not to prosecute people because they can afford good enough lawyers to make it expensive for the taxpayer?

 

Should it be ok for rich people to lie to investigators? What other crimes is it ok for rich people to commit that poor people can't?

[witesoxfan]

Should we decide not to prosecute people because they can afford good enough lawyers to make it expensive for the taxpayer?

 

Should it be ok for rich people to lie to investigators? What other crimes is it ok for rich people to commit that poor people can't?

 

What poor person is lying to a grand jury about steroid use?

 

I think Bonds' crime is low enough on the list that spending $50 million is irresponsible.

[Balta1701]

What poor person is lying to a grand jury about steroid use?

 

I think Bonds' crime is low enough on the list that spending $50 million is irresponsible.

I bet a lot of kids have lied to police and investigators, and yes, grand juries, about drug use in general, and steroid use in particular.

 

How about we simply do not prosecute anyone for obstruction of justice in cases involving drugs? That's a fair standard. We don't send many people to jail in drug cases, do we?

[Soxbadger]

This isnt about a crime, this is about vindictiveness. Perjury happens pretty often, its almost impossible to prove, this is a fact. The only time the govt does this, is when you didnt give them what they wanted. In this case they wanted Bonds to name proverbial names.

 

Bonds refused to do it, even when he was in front of the grand jury which is supposedly in secret and therefore you have no 5th amendment rights.

 

That is the catch here, the govt pulled Bonds into a grand jury, where he, unlike most defendants, could not plead the 5th amendment. The reason that the 5th amendment does not apply, is that the information at a grand jury hearing is secret, it is never to be released to the public. Bonds attorneys argued that the govt could not deliver on the secrecy, and that Bonds should not have to testify against himself (like any other defendant in the world.)

 

The problem is, the govt doesnt care. They just wanted to convict BALCO etc, so they adamantly stated that no transcripts from the Grand Jury would ever be released to the public.

 

This was a lie. Book of Shadows includes Grand Jury testimony, Bonds lawyers were right, you could not guarantee secrecy. Because of this, the entire case is a sham and a disservice to our legal system. The grand jury is a mockery of justice, its a sham trial where the Defendant cant bring in witnesses, where the govt can use hearsay and unreliable evidence, where a Defendant has no rights.

 

The only silver lining, is that unlike most people who have been put in Bonds position, where the govt just flat out screws them, Bonds has money. Bonds had attorneys who fought for him all the way, and hopefully his attorneys will keep him from jail.

 

Even if Bonds is found guilty, I cant imagine the Judge ordering jail time, maybe a fine at best, but this is unjust.

 

This isnt how our system is supposed to work, we dont create fake secret court rooms where Defendants have no rights so that we get them on tape saying they used drugs and ruin their life. That isnt ho American justice works, and this entire fiasco makes me ashamed to be part of the legal system.

[Soxbadger]

I bet a lot of kids have lied to police and investigators, and yes, grand juries, about drug use in general, and steroid use in particular.

 

How many of them had grand jury transcripts leaked to the public?

 

Prior to the grand jury, Bonds legal team argued that this would not be a secret proceeding and therefore 5th amendment should not be waived.

 

The transcripts were released, the govt didnt stop the publication of Game of Shadows, its completely distinguishable from a no name criminal. Not to mention Im adamantly against grand juries, because they use the same bulls*** tactics against regular joes, except for they dont have attorneys and cant defend themselves.

[MexSoxFan#1]

What poor person is lying to a grand jury about steroid use?

 

I think Bonds' crime is low enough on the list that spending $50 million is irresponsible.

 

 

This

 

Bin Laden is free out there and we are prosecuting a dude for using steroids, GTFO here.

[southsider2k5]

This

 

Bin Laden is free out there and we are prosecuting a dude for using steroids, GTFO here.

 

Um, its not like we have spent like billions to catch him...

[Soxbadger]

Whats irresponsible is that Bonds should never have been forced into a situation where perjury could occur.

 

Had he simply been allowed to invoke his 5th amendment right against self incrimination, this is non-case.

 

Grand Juries are bulls***, thats the problem here, not how small or big perjury is. This should have never happened had the govt not wanted to screw Bonds.

[Balta1701]

Whats irresponsible is that Bonds should never have been forced into a situation where perjury could occur.

 

Had he simply been allowed to invoke his 5th amendment right against self incrimination, this is non-case.

 

Grand Juries are bulls***, thats the problem here, not how small or big perjury is. This should have never happened had the govt not wanted to screw Bonds.

As the government said in their final argument...all Bonds had to do was tell the truth.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Um, its not like we have spent like billions to catch him...

 

 

$50,000,000 bucks to catch someone who used steroids?In this economy, please.I could come up with at least a dozen ideas where that money would be better spent, hell, give me 10% of that

[Milkman delivers]

This

 

Bin Laden is free out there and we are prosecuting a dude for using steroids, GTFO here.

 

Haha, wow! Moronic as hell.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Haha, wow! Moronic as hell.

 

 

Eloquent retort...

[Milkman delivers]

Eloquent retort...

 

Because it was a stupid argument and deserved no eloquence in response. You're not a bad poster, but that reasoning was terrible.

[Soxbadger]

As the government said in their final argument...all Bonds had to do was tell the truth.

 

 

The govt brought Bonds into a grand jury and promised that the transcripts would be secret. They said that he could TELL THE TRUTH, because THEY PROMISED IT WOULD NEVER BE RELEASED.

 

Thus if the transcripts were released, why should Bonds have had to tell the truth.

 

All the govt had to do was a) keep its word and not allow the transcripts to be republished or b ) allowed Bonds to invoke the 5th amendment.

 

The point of the Grand Jury is that its to be done in absolute secrecy, so that no information is ever revealed to the public. As there was no way the govt could guarantee Bonds secrecy, they (imo) had no right to make him waive the 5th amendment.

 

All the govt had to do was tell the truth:

 

"We can not guarantee that these proceedings will be secret, therefore Bonds can invoke the 5th amendment"

 

Its just that simple. Grand juries are almost always unjust, they are antiquated and should be completely done away with.

 

The entire purpose of the Grand Jury was because being accused of a crime is so bad to your reputation, that they wanted a secret hearing to ensure that they only prosecuted people that may actually be guilty. The Grand Jury was never supposed to be what it has evolved into. Its a joke, this trial is a joke, and I hope for all the people who have been screwed by lying prosecutors before, Bonds buries the govt in a shallow grave.

 

Most Defendants dont have the type of money to make the govt pay for their lies, thankfully Bonds does.

 

All the govt had to do was tell the truth and none of this would have happened. They lied to Bonds, they lied to his attorneys, and they disrespected attorneys every where with this bulls***.

 

Furious is the only word that should describe anyone who looks at these facts.

Edited April 12, 2011 by Soxbadger

[MexSoxFan#1]

Because it was a stupid argument and deserved no eloquence in response. You're not a bad poster, but that reasoning was terrible.

 

 

OK, I agree I was over the top but my main point is that I agree with witesoxfan, it's irresponsible by the govt to spend 50 million bucks to prosecute someone over steroid use, the only person hurt in this matter is ultimately Bonds.

Put an asterisk by his name in the record books, keep him out of the HOF, whatever, but spend our tax dollars to nab Bonds?f*** that.

Edited April 12, 2011 by MexSoxFan#1

[Soxbadger]

This isnt about steroid use.

 

Bonds wasnt being prosecuted for steroids, he was summoned to a grand jury for the prosecution of other people for making designer steroids. Bonds refused to testify, the govt said that he would be immune and since it was a grand jury and secret he had no 5th amendment rights. Bonds legal team argued that the govt could not guarantee secrecy and therefore Bonds should have the ability to raise 5th amendment right. Govt argued that they would keep it secret and that he had immunity.

 

Thus the govt is the one who lied to start. Had the govt listened to Bonds attorneys and realized that they could not guarantee secrecy in such a high profile case, this would never have been an issue. Unfortunately most prosecutors could care less about the collateral damage of witnesses, as long as they get their conviction.

 

Bonds is being charged with perjury, he is not being charged for doing steroids. This has nothing to do with steroids, its entirely whether he lied under oath, in a case where he was not even a Defendant.

 

Talk about messed up.