The New York Times reports that Barry Bonds' trainer Greg Anderson, who sits rotting away in jail, may be making noise again. Will his defense team ask for his release outright, or might he finally sing about his role in Bonds' juicing?
Since the investigation of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative began five years ago, one man has spent more time behind bars than anyone in the federal drug case: Greg Anderson, the former personal trainer of Barry Bonds.
Anderson is key in the Grand Jury's investigation of Bonds' truthfulness in sworn testimony:
Bonds is being investigated for perjury and for some of his financial dealings, and his relationship with Anderson figures prominently in the case. An indictment of Bonds without Anderson’s testimony could make the imprisonment appear unjustified.
Anderson began training Bonds in 1999, two years before Bonds dominated headlines by hitting 73 home runs to set the single-season record with a performance that far exceeded anything he had done in his career. Bonds gave Anderson a ring to commemorate the feat and a $20,000 bonus, according to the book “Game of Shadows,” which chronicled the Balco investigation. Anderson is said to have had a tattoo done of the number 73.
“Greg is a lifelong friend, and of course he wants him to break the record,” Geragos said. “I have always thought the government believes, and that some of those prosecutors believe, without Greg they have no case.”
Anderson has spend time in jail over several grand juries because he refuses to testify against his friend and client Bonds. At what point does this become ridiculous? Anderson's attorney says he is rock solid against testifying:
“He will never negotiate with the government, and I would not authorize that unless they unconditionally surrender,” he said. “He is never going to do that.”
However another friend of Anderson's tells a different story. He says Anderson looks weary:
But another lawyer who has seen Anderson while visiting clients at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif., said Anderson did not appear to be doing well.
“When I saw him, he looked depressed and down, more upset than others,” said the lawyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he said he did not want to jeopardize his relationship with Canny. “He doesn’t look good. My clients that are in the same facility say that he is not a happy camper. Jail is not a fun place, but he appears more depressed. It may just be his demeanor. He looks down, shook and depressed.”
Comments