Judge orders Barry Bonds’ trainer to appear
The federal judge who’ll preside over Barry Bonds’ perjury trial that starts next week has ordered Bonds’ former personal trainer Greg Anderson to appear in front of her Wednesday to determine whether he’ll testify at the trial.
Anderson’s attorney has maintained the trainer will continue not to cooperate with federal prosecutors, who have already sent him to jail for more than 15 months on previous contempt charges and have urged the judge to imprison Anderson again if he remains silent.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco issued the order Monday after telling prosecutors last week they could not introduce evidence that Bonds tested positive for steroids three times in the months leading up to his record-breaking 73-homer season of 2001 without the foundation provided by an eyewitness regarding how those samples were obtained and submitted. Anderson, who allegedly obtained designer steroids for Bonds through the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), has refused to provide detailed statements about what Bonds knew regarding the substances.
Bonds is charged with lying to a federal grand jury in December 2003, when he testified he did not knowingly take steroids.
Anderson’s attorney, Mark Geragos, has told The Times repeatedly that Anderson will not testify at Bonds’ trial, but he did not immediately return messages left for him Monday.
-- Lance Pugmire
Basketball Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley, 45, who works as a TV analyst, pleaded guilty to drunk-driving charges related to a Dec. 31 arrest in Arizona. He will begin a five-day jail sentence on March 21. He must pay more than $2,000 in fines and attend an alcohol treatment program. Under Arizona law, he’ll also be forced to install an ignition interlock device on his vehicles.
Minnesota Vikings great Carl Eller was sentenced to 60 days in the county workhouse for resisting Minneapolis police officers after a traffic stop, a punishment that went beyond prosecutors’ recommendations. Hennepin County District Judge Dan Mabley said he wanted to send a message that Eller’s public criticism of the courts and police was baseless.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
UCLA hires assistant
Tim Hundley has been hired as a defensive backs coach at UCLA, filling out the Bruins’ staff. Hundley was the assistant head coach at Southern Methodist last season. He was the defensive coordinator at Texas El Paso the previous four seasons and had spent seven seasons on UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel’s staff at Washington and Colorado.
“It’s a good fit for us,” Neuheisel said. “ He has experience up in the box and is a game-day adjustment guy.”
-- Chris Foster
ETC.
Big 12 suspends Pat Knight
The Big 12 Conference suspended Texas Tech Coach Pat Knight for one game for complaining about the officials after a loss to Texas A&M.; “I wasn’t surprised because I broke a rule,” Knight said. “I know the rules, but sometimes you have to lay on a grenade to get your point across.”
The New York Rangers replaced Coach Tom Renney with John Tortorella after the team lost for the 10th time in its last 12 games. Tortorella, who led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup title, was fired after last season.
Marvin Harrison’s agent, Tom Condon, told the Associated Press that the Indianapolis Colts have agreed to release the franchise’s all-time leading receiver, who refused to take a pay cut.
The Sparks and DeLisha Milton-Jones agreed to a three-year deal through 2012.
The Sports Museum of Los Angeles, which opened in late November, is closing to the public. The museum’s website states that it will be open for private functions and tours.
The Times’ Bill Dwyre finished third in the daily columnist category of the Golf Writers Assn. of America awards. Dwyre was honored for a column about Tiger Woods. He also received honorable mention in the daily news category.
