Bonds' legal team readies slugger for indictment

[MarlinsMS_35]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=2519829

AP- SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds' legal team is preparing for the Giants slugger to be indicted as soon as next week and has begun plotting his defense.

Attorney Laura Enos told The Associated Press on Friday that Bonds, second on the career home run list, could be charged with tax evasion and perjury. Enos, Bonds' personal attorney, also said the lawyers believe the grand jury investigating the star player will expire next Thursday.

"We are very prepared," Enos said. "We have excellent tax records and we are very comfortable that he has not shortchanged the government at all."

Also Friday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to free Bonds' personal trainer from prison. A federal judge on July 5 ordered Greg Anderson jailed until he agreed to testify before the grand jury investigating Bonds for perjury.

The grand jury is believed to be investigating Bonds for tax evasion in connection with cash he allegedly gave former girlfriend Kimberly Bell to buy a house. The money came from sales of Bonds' signatures on baseball memorabilia, and the income allegedly was not reported to the IRS.

Enos said that claim -- based upon the ex-girlfriend's testimony and the allegations of childhood friend and former business partner Steve Hoskins -- was untrue. Enos said Hoskins gave Bell the cash to curry favor with Bonds and to thank the slugger for helping him become rich by putting him in charge of a lucrative memorabilia business.

Hoskins recently has surfaced as a key government witness in the investigation of Bonds. He was a boyhood friend who went into business with the baseball star, selling such memorabilia as signed jerseys, bats and baseball cards. The two had a falling out in 2003, which Enos said was over Bonds' accusations that Hoskins forged the slugger's signature on at least two endorsement contracts and also sold Bonds' gear without his permission.

The grand jury also is investigating Bonds for perjury for allegedly telling an earlier grand jury he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

One potential witness against Bonds will remain behind bars for now. The federal appeals court Friday declined to release Anderson from prison for refusing to testify before the current grand jury investigating Bonds.

Anderson was Bonds' personal trainer and one of five people convicted in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative scandal. The Burlingame nutritional supplement company was exposed as a steroid laboratory for top athletes.

Wow, Barry Bonds looks like He'll be behind bars for a while. Perjury is huge. The game will be alot different without him.

[meteamo]

If Bonds gets convicted and is suspended or banned from baseball, that would be one way to avoid having Aaron's record broken by Bonds amid controversy. But then again, I'm sure Bonds can buy good lawyers.

[JoeyMcM93]

Of course he'll get good lawyers. I doubt they will convict him. I just can't see it happening. I'm a Giants fan and I want him gone, that's how much respect he's lost.

[maddux31]

I HOPE HE FINALLY RECEIVES HIS LEGAL DUES!!

(I personally do not care for Bond's the least bit, since reading game of

shadows amongst alot of other character and moral flaws)

[nc4182]

This is pretty sad seeing we could lose a baseball great. But in all honesty i dont think he will break aarons record anyway.

[jogar84]

A great a victory this is for the honest, non-cheating ballplayers out there. I just wish he would be caught for steroids, and not taxes. But he's also being singled out when other cheaters out there play on with impunity.

[MarlinsMS_35]

If I were the Giants, I would try to shop Bartry Bonds out to a different team. They should trade him for some good, young, not-Marlin Pitching. There isn't much out there. Prior and wood go on the DL if they get a bruise, and i don't see the Twoins giving Liriano up.