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16 replies

Probation for Barry Bonds

S SwampboyHSBBWeb Administrator
Barry Bonds has been sentenced to 2 years probation, a month of home confinement, and some community service.

I've never been much of a fan of his, but I had no desire to see him serve jail time. He has been through a long legal ordeal where the process is basically the punishment--he had to spend several years of his life and who knows how many hundred thousands of dollars defending himself against a government that could throw unlimited resources at the case without ever having to justify its priorities or expenses.

Is this really the most justice our country could buy for the money spent convicting him? They couldn't have found some corrupt congressman to hassle instead?

I especially find no joy that the conviction was for obstruction of justice, not for the underlying crime of taking illegal drugs. Somehow it's not satisfying to know the government couldn't convict him of a drug offense but was still able to convict him of denying it. Hardly seems fair.

The result: Bonds loses his reputation, the cost of his defense, and the curtailments of his liberty.

Everyone else is just exhausted.

No real winners here.
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TPMTPMHSBaseballweb Member since 2003
I have mixed feelings on this, he lied to the government. He tried to beat the system, all he had to do was tell the truth, it would have been much easier for him, and for the taxpayers. But IMO, just seemed that his record and possible HOF entry was more important to HIM than to telling the truth.

I hate the lying.
P Prime91,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Rob Kremer:
quote:
he lied to the government.

I could never understand why when citizens lie to the government, they get in big trouble. Yet the government lies to the citizens all the time, and nothing ever happens.


I know many people feel this way, but it still makes me squirm when I hear it. Maybe I just spent too many years in service to our country and see things from a different perspective?

Swampboy said about all that needs to be said on this subject and I agree! The public must be tired of hearing about this case. The wheels of justice often turn too slowly.

I don't like it when people lie to Congress. Nor do I care for Public Officials who denigrate the office they were elected to serve.
fenwaysouthfenwaysouth10,000+ posts
He lied to the gov't, he should spend time in jail. End of story.

It is hard to believe, but I actually have less respect for the gov't now than I did 24hrs ago. To see a scumbag like Bonds get this sentence is sending the wrong message on so many levels (lying to grand jury, tax evasion, etc....)

I'm curious to see how Bonds relationship with Greg Anderson progresses. Anderson covers up for Bonds twice and serves time in jail. Bonds gets no time in jail. That looks like a pretty sweet deal for Bonds. Not so much for Anderson unless he likes prison.
P PGStaff10,000+ posts
He was convicted of obstruction of justice. Honestly, I don't know what that means, but if he lied to the government wouldn't they charge him with perjury? Seems like he didn't tell the government what they wanted to hear rather than lie.

Does anyone think the prosecuter went a bit overboard with his statements after the sentencing?

He made some accusations that didn't involve the charges against Bonds.

No matter what we all think, it appears that even our government couldn't prove that Barry Bonds knowingly took steroids. If they could have, he would have been charged with perjury.

BTW, Baseball seems to be taking the brunt of all this. I'm still interested in all those 300 lb linemen that run 4.5 40s and lift small buildings.
infielddadinfielddad10,000+ posts
quote:
No matter what we all think, it appears that even our government couldn't prove that Barry Bonds knowingly took steroids. If they could have, he would have been charged with perjury.



PG,
Bonds was charged with perjury.
Initially, I think there were 9 counts.
He went to trial on 3 counts of perjury and one of obstruction of justice.
On the perjury, the jury was hung anywhere from 9-3 to 11-1, guilty.
He could be retried but that seems unlikely.
In addition to the issue of whether Bonds knowingly took steroids, the US Attorney had to prove he lied when he testified he didn't.
Most of the documentary evidence on the drugs/Balco was excluded before trial because it could not be qualified for admission.
One major reason was Greg Anderson, who refused to testify and spent time in jail for refusing. Without Anderson the proof Bonds took steroids and knew it, and lied about Flax seed stuff could not be proven to 12 jurors, beyond a reasonable doubt.
It was proven to 11 on one count, and that isn't good enough.
Last edited by infielddad
F 3FingeredGlove1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
He lied to the gov't, he should spend time in jail. End of story.

It is hard to believe, but I actually have less respect for the gov't now than I did 24hrs ago. To see a scumbag like Bonds get this sentence is sending the wrong message on so many levels (lying to grand jury, tax evasion, etc....)

I'm curious to see how Bonds relationship with Greg Anderson progresses. Anderson covers up for Bonds twice and serves time in jail. Bonds gets no time in jail. That looks like a pretty sweet deal for Bonds. Not so much for Anderson unless he likes prison.


On the first point, consider this exchange (paraphrased) between the prosecutor and judge yesterday. Prosecutor: "he made a lot of money through deceit, lived a double life, and had 2 marriages while maintaining mistresses." Judge (irritated): "He wasn't convicted of that." Nor was he convicted of "lying to grand jury, tax evasion, etc....". Yet you think he should be sentenced for those non-convicted or non-alleged offenses?

On the second, I don't know Greg Anderson personally, but I do know people who do. When it was first announced years ago that Anderson would be called as a witness, one of them commented to me that "he will never testify." And the reason had little to do with Bonds, and instead with Anderson's belief that his plea deal with the DOJ promised that Anderson's involvement with the entire Balco case was over. Evidently, he feels that the DOJ didn't keep their promise, and not testifying is his way of getting back at "the man".
Last edited by 3FingeredGlove

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