Lawyer: Barry will talk

[Giants666]

Barry Bonds is eager for a sit-down with former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, his attorney said yesterday, but the embattled slugger will not talk until his lawyer can be assured the information won't be used by federal prosecutors.
Mitchell, appointed in March by commissioner Bud Selig to head Major League Baseball's steroid investigation, sent Bonds' attorney Michael Rains a letter last month requesting an interview, medical records and telephone bills. Rains wrote back saying they'd like to play ball - but he's afraid the Justice Department will later use Bonds' interview against him.

"I'd like Barry to cooperate with Sen. Mitchell," Rains said. "He'd like to cooperate. We believe Sen. Mitchell's investigation will be fair, thorough and impartial.

"But here's the problem: Anything that happens there can become fodder for the federal government and fodder for another book that will make reporters rich."

A federal grand jury is trying to determine if Bonds lied about drug use in his testimony to the BALCO grand jury. Bonds, whose alleged steroid use was detailed in "Game of Shadows" by San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, also could face tax evasion charges.

"I thoroughly distrust the federal government's commitment to protecting anonymity," said Rains, whose client's testimony to the BALCO grand jury was illegally leaked to the Chronicle. "I've been asking for four years if this investigation is done. All I've ever got was double talk."

Mitchell has also struck out in his attempts to talk to Kimberly Bell, Bonds' ex-girlfriend. Her attorney, Martin Garbus, said Thursday that FBI agents had asked Bell not to cooperate with MLB's investigation while the federal grand jury conducts its perjury probe. If her interview with Mitchell differed from anything she has told authorities, it could be used to discredit her in court.

"Anything she would say to Mitchell would be discoverable by the defense," Garbus said. "I would say they are trying to protect their own prosecution."

Garbus said he has not decided whether his client should talk to Mitchell. "I have not advised her to do anything at this point," he said.

Rains, meanwhile, said he was outraged to learn that federal agents hade asked former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley to wear a listening device to gather evidence against Bonds.

Bonds and Grimsley never have been teammates and do not have anything more than a passing relationship, Rains said. The feds may have wanted Grimsley to record an incriminating conversation about performance-enhancing drugs with one of Bonds' teammates. If that Giants player said something incriminating about himself, that information could be used to pressure him to deliver evidence that could be used against Bonds.

"This is an investigation in a desperate state," Rains said. "This is a very amateurish approach."

[Bear]

People are being killed in Iraq, are kid are killing each other at home, and the Federal Government has nothing better to do but chase after Bonds! Unbelievable, Fu.... Unbelievable!!!

[SF Kid]

Bonds better be careful. Opening up to some sort of cross examination could be very very risky for him. I think his plan thus far to keep his mouth shut is a better way to go.