Judge Delays Clemens Trial

By Gabriela Moore
Dec 8 2010

An US federal judge issued an order this morning to delay the perjury trial of Roger Clemens until July. The trial was originally slated to begin in April.

Roger Clemens is one of the greats in the game of baseball. He retired from the sport at the height of his popularity but soon found himself entangled in a massive legal battle. He was called to testify at the famed Mitchell Hearings, based on the Mitchell Report about the wide-spread use of steroids in professional baseball.

Like most others, Clemens denied having used steroids during his career. However, a witness came forward that contends that Clemens not only used on a regular basis, but that he was one of the main suppliers of the drugs for the pitcher. Clemens has continued to deny these allegations.

During the Mitchell Hearings Clemens was under oath. Federal prosecutors believe that he lied to the panel and they have charged him with perjury in the case. He now faces a steep prison sentence if he is found guilty of all the charges that have been brought against him.

Clemens defense attorneys asked the federal judge for more time to review the evidence in the case before proceeding to trial. The evidence includes some 54,000 pages of documents that are related to the case and also some scientific proof that the prosecution claims to hold.

The defense hopes to find a witness that will refute the findings of the prosecution as well as the scientific evidence in the case.