May 13, 2008

Barry Bonds nailed with new indictment

Bonds facing many years in prison

Prosecutors have filed a new indictment against steriods cheater Barry Bonds.

The career home run leader originally was charged in November by a federal grand jury with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

In documents released Tuesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Bonds was charged with 14 counts of lying to a grand jury and one count of obstruction that he denied knowingly taking illegal performance- enhancing drugs.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston delayed the case against Bonds in March so government lawyers could correct technical flaws in the original indictment. Bonds' attorneys contended that under law the indictment was deficient because the government can accuse a person of only one crime per count of an indictment.

There are no new allegations in the indictment revealed Tuesday, except that it breaks down the charges ahead of the next hearing, scheduled for June 6.

Each of the counts of lying carries a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release.

Bonds, who is a free agent, has 762 home runs.