Barry Bonds Headed to Jail? Prosecutors Recommend 15 Months Behind Bars
Federal prosecutors working the Barry Bonds case recommended at least a 15-month prison term for his sentencing, which takes place Dec. 16.
Bonds, 47, has been the media focus of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) federal hearings, marring his illustrious career with both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants.
Lawyers looking to convict Bonds claim that his vague and evasive testimony regarding his steroid use was used to deceive the grand jury.
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The trial began in March of this year, and Bonds testimony regarding his steroid use was called into question.
Bonds concocted “a calculated plan to obfuscate and distract the grand jury from getting to the truth," according to the filings demanding Bonds’ imprisonment, AP reported.
The documents also reveal their issue with the 7-time MVP.
The legal team thinks Bonds lied about taking performance-enhancing drugs. Because of the “patently false” claims by the former baseball star. It was even tougher to definitively connect steroids evidence found at BALCO to Bonds.
In addition, Bonds’ former trainer, Greg Anderson, declined requests by the court to testify against his trainee and was jailed for a year as a result. His staunch refusal contributed to the jury’s divisiveness on the allegations, although they did find Bonds guilty of perjury.
The recommendation by prosecutors is actually a response to Bonds’ legal defense team, who suggested probation to U.S. District Judge Susan Illston on Tuesday. They cite a report which includes commentary from a probation officer, and similar sentences other sports stars like Tammy Thomas and Trevor Graham have received for similar offenses.
Federal attorneys disregard the report, proposing anywhere from 15 to 21 months in federal prison to make an example out of Bonds’ perjury, and as proper punishment for the crime.
"Bonds' pervasive efforts to testify falsely, to mislead the grand jury, to dodge questions, and to simply refuse to answer questions in the grand jury makes his conduct worthy of a significant jail sentence," prosecutors told AP.
