Clemens indicted in steroids case
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in Washington indicted former baseball pitching ace Roger Clemens on Thursday for lying to Congress, in a legal deposition and in congressional testimony when he repeatedly denied under oath that he ever used anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in Washington indicted former baseball pitching ace Roger Clemens on Thursday for lying to Congress, in a legal deposition and in congressional testimony when he repeatedly denied under oath that he ever used anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
According to the indictment, which includes one count of obstruction of Congress, two counts of perjury, and three counts of making false statements, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner "well knew" that he was trying to hide the truth from a House oversight committee in 2008 when he said, "Let me be clear. I have never taken steroids or HGH" - which is human growth hormone, another banned drug.
If convicted, the onetime pitching star for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.
On his Twitter account, Clemens again maintained that he "never took HGH or steroids. And I did not lie to Congress."
The 11-time all-star added: "I look forward to challenging the government's accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trial."
He signed the post, "Rocket."
A close reading of the indictment shows it offers no direct proof that Clemens ever used the banned drugs during his 23-year career on the mound. Rather, it alleges that others say he did, and that he then lied to Congress in denying their assertions.
But the charges against Clemens mark the second time a major-league player has been prosecuted for lying to Congress, and it signals that federal investigators are far from done probing the drug scandals that for years have swirled around players who suddenly grew bigger and stronger as they extended their careers and shattered long-standing baseball records.
In February 2009, all-star shortstop Miguel Tejada of the Astros pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about his use of the drugs. He was sentenced to a year of probation.
Clemens, who turned 48 on Aug. 4 and last pitched in 2007, logged a phenomenal record with 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts, and a lifetime earned run average of 3.12.
With more than 300 victories, Clemens would be a lock for the Hall of Fame, most likely on the first ballot when he becomes eligible in 2013, were it not for allegations of cheating hanging over him.
At the heart of the case are two sessions when Clemens met with congressional investigators in February 2008 and repeatedly denied using anabolic steroids or HGH.
When the sessions were over, officials with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which was probing allegations of players' using the drugs, suspected that Clemens had lied.
Clemens, a Houston resident, first met with investigators for the committee on Feb. 5, 2008, and agreed to speak to them in a legal deposition and under oath.
The panel was seeking more information after receiving a report by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell (D., Maine), about steroids and other restricted substances used by major-league players.
In his report, Mitchell said that "Clemens, while a member of the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees, used anabolic steroids on multiple occasions in 1998, 2000, and 2001, and HGH on multiple occasions in 2000."
Much of that was based on statements by Brian McNamee, Clemens' former trainer, who reportedly reached a deal with investigators not to be prosecuted in return for his cooperation.
The indictment against Clemens said the pitcher maintained that not only had he never seen or possessed the drugs, but he had never even discussed them with anyone.
