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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 1, 2008

Third drug test revealed in Bonds testimony

Photo galleryPhoto gallery: Spring Training

Associated Press

A federal judge in San Francisco told prosecutors yesterday to redraft their indictment of Barry Bonds and made public his grand jury testimony, revealing a previously unpublicized drug test from seven years ago that showed an elevated testosterone level.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston ordered prosecutors to amend Bonds' indictment so that each of the five counts against him don't cite multiple statements that prosecutors say are false.

Prosecutors originally accused Bonds of lying 19 different times during his grand jury appearance, and charged him with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

Illston agreed with Bonds' attorney Dennis Riordan that prosecutors must edit out many of the alleged lies or seek a new indictment, which could contain more charges.

Prosecutors are expected to decide whether to seek a new indictment before Bonds' next court date March 21. They declined comment outside court.

Bonds' 2003 grand jury testimony was extensively reported on by the San Francisco Chronicle in December 2004. However, yesterday was the first time the entire 149-page document was released.

Although the indictment last fall discussed a November 2000 test that showed elevated testosterone and the Chronicle reporters wrote about a November 2001 test that showed an acceptable level, the transcript revealed another sample that previously had not received attention.

A document labeled "BB" with Bonds' date of birth refers to a sample taken in January 2001 for testing by the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, known as BALCO.

In his appearance before the grand jury, Bonds said he didn't understand the results from the January 2001 test prosecutors showed him and then said "that some people may have more testosterone levels than others."

SPRING TRAINING

SANTANA, BEDARD HIT HARD IN NEW-TEAM DEBUTS

Johan Santana and Erik Bedard definitely showed something in their debuts for new teams: Even baseball's best pitchers need time to tune up in spring training.

Acquired from Minnesota in a blockbuster trade this offseason, Santana gave up a three-run homer to Juan Gonzalez in the first inning of his first start with the Mets yesterday. The St. Louis Cardinals went on to beat New York, 5-4, in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

"There are a lot of adjustments I've got to make. It's going to take some time, but that's what we're here for," Santana said.

Santana gave up three runs and four hits in two innings. Brendan Ryan tripled, Albert Pujols doubled and Chris Duncan singled off Santana.

Seattle can only figure Bedard, acquired in a trade from Baltimore, will get a lot better after their new ace allowed three runs in two innings during a 5-3 victory over a San Francisco Giants split squad in Scottsdale, Ariz.

ELSEWHERE

Rangers: Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan agreed yesterday to a four-year contract as team president, a job he accepted 3 1/2 weeks ago.

Reds: Shortstop Alex Gonzalez has a broken knee. Gonzalez will be evaluated again in three weeks. The team said the fracture is unrelated to the injury that Gonzalez sustained last year.

Athletics: Third baseman Eric Chavez will miss at least five days after receiving an injection yesterday to help ease inflammation in his lower back. He had corrective surgery in October after missing the final two months of last season with lower back spasms.

Yankees: Broadcaster Bobby Murcer is scheduled to undergo a brain biopsy Monday in Houston. Murcer, 61, had surgery on Dec. 28, 2006, after being diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. An MRI performed Tuesday showed an area of concern, which could be scar tissue or another tumor.