Video triggers mistrial in Clemens perjury case

[SlowNeasy]

friggin incompetent government prosecutors

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/07/14/us.clemens.mistrial/

Washington (CNN) -- The perjury trial of ex-baseball all-star Roger Clemens ended in a mistrial Thursday after jurors heard statements in a prosecution video that the judge had ruled inadmissible until later in the case.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said prosecutors should have modified a video that showed a congressman talking about a deposition from the wife of Clemens' old teammate, former New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, during a 2008 hearing. Walton had decided earlier that prosecutors couldn't include references to Laura Pettitte's testimony unless it was brought up on rebuttal.

"I can't in good faith leave this case in a situation where a man's liberty is at risk when the government should have taken steps to ensure that we were not in this situation,'' Walton said after Clemens' lawyers asked for a mistrial. "I don't see how I can unring the bell.''

The decision came on the second day of testimony in the case. Walton set a September 2 hearing on whether to retry the case, and prosecutor Steven Durham left the courtroom without comment.

Clemens, nicknamed "Rocket," is accused of perjury, obstruction of Congress and making false statements about his alleged use of steroids and human growth hormone. The former all-star pitcher testified under oath before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in 2008 that he never used illegal performance-enhancing substances during his career -- statements prosecutors say is contradicted by other witnesses and physical evidence.

Clemens was one of the most feared pitchers in all of baseball during his more than two decades in the major leagues. He retired with 4,672 strikeouts, seven Cy Young awards and two World Series titles.

He faced a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine on the counts against him.

 

[Benevolent One]

That seems pretty incompetant, to say the least. Maybe they were trying to sneak that evidence in the back door, or maybe it was just an oversight on their part. Either way, it was stupid and it will, now, cost even more to reprosecute this A-hole.

 

[SST55]

Same with the Anthony prosecuters. I'm friendly with my lawyer, during the Anthony trial we talked and he said she's going to walk. His words " working for the state/govt is a good work experience but anyone who stays longer than 3-5 years is a slouch who knows they can't make it in private practice".

Seems there might be some truth in that.

 

[Mopardh9]

That seems pretty incompetant, to say the least. Maybe they were trying to sneak that evidence in the back door, or maybe it was just an oversight on their part. Either way, it was stupid and it will, now, cost even more to reprosecute this A-hole.

Not going to happen he will never go to trial again.