 Barry Bonds: Pleads not guilty to federal charges
US baseball's home run king Barry Bonds pleaded not guilty on Friday to 15 federal charges that he has lied to a grand jury about taking steroids and obstructed a federal probe of performance-enhancing drugs.
Barry Bonds’s trial is scheduled to begin on March 2, 2009 for the case.
The former San Francisco Giants outfielder appeared today in federal court in San Francisco with his lawyers for the second time in six months to plead not guilty to criminal charges in a U.S. probe into steroid use among athletes.
Public prosecutors filed a new indictment last month charging the 43 year old Barry Bonds with making 14 false statements and obstructing justice after a judge said charges filed against him last year were flawed.
Bonds pleaded not guilty to all 15 charges. His lawyers said he is ready to face a jury.
Barry Bonds could be sentenced to federal prison, if found guilty.
Bonds has denied any wrongdoing and never tested positive for banned drugs, but steroids were not banned or even tested for during much of Bonds' career, including the 2001 season when he set a one-season record of 73 homers.
Barry Bonds has broken Hank Aaron's revered all-time home run record last August by hitting his 756th career homer. He has finished last season with 762 career home runs. |