Appeals court: Feds in Bonds perjury trial must exclude urine samples, other key evidence

Appeals court sides with Bonds on evidence

SAN FRANCISCO — A divided federal appeals court has dealt the federal government a significant setback in its prosecution of Barry Bonds on perjury charges.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that prosecutors may not present positive urine samples and other vital evidence that the government says shows that the slugger knowingly used steroids.

The appeals court ruling upholds a lower court decision barring federal prosecutors from showing the jury any evidence collected by Bonds’ personal trainer Greg Anderson.

Anderson last year told the trial court judge that he would rather go to jail on contempt of court charges than testify against Bonds.

The court says evidence tied directly to Anderson is inadmissible “hearsay” evidence unless the trainer testifies to the items’ authenticity.