Clemens vows to fight charges
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury's indictment of pitching great Roger Clemens for allegedly lying to Congress about his use of steroids deals a further blow to baseball, reinforcing the game's image as a sport where the use of performance enhancing drugs was widespread.
The six-count indictment alleges that one of the most dominant pitchers of his era obstructed a congressional inquiry with 15 different statements made under oath, including denials that he had ever used steroids or human growth hormone. As he did when he testified to a House committee in 2008, the seven-time Cy Young winner denied using the substances again Thursday and said he will fight to clear his name.
"I never took HGH or Steroids. And I did not lie to Congress," Clemens said on Twitter. "I look forward to challenging the Governments accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trial. I appreciate all the support I have been getting. I am happy to finally have my day in court."
Clemens is just the latest superstar to be ensnared in baseball's steroid scandal. All-time home run king Barry Bonds is scheduled to go on trial in March on charges of lying to a federal grand jury when he said he never knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. Slugger Mark McGwire admitted earlier this year to using steroids.
Clemens, who turned 48 this month, ranks ninth on the career list with 354 victories and was an 11-time All-Star. During a 23-year career that ended in 2007, he played for the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees and the Houston Astros and struck out 4,672 with a lifetime 3.12 ERA.
The rampant use of performance-enhancing drugs in the 1990s and early 2000s has been one of baseball's worst scandals. The indictments against Clemens raise new questions about whether the superstar will ever be enshrined in the sport's Hall of Fame — and might instead spend time in prison.
Clemens also used his lawyer Thursday to insist that he was telling the truth.
"Roger is looking forward to his day in court," the athlete's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told a news conference. "He is happy this has finally happened. We have known for some time this was going to happen. We'll let everything get taken care of in court."
Hardin said federal prosecutors made Clemens a plea offer but he rejected it. Hardin declined to comment on details of the proposed plea deal — which ordinarily involves admitting to a crime while avoiding the scenario of a multiple-count indictment as happened in the Clemens case.
The former pitcher faces a combined maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine if convicted on all charges. However, under U.S. sentencing guidelines, he would probably face no more than 15 to 21 months in prison.
Hardin said that although many have argued that Clemens should simply admit he took steroids, "the problem is nobody ever talks about what he should have done if he didn't do it."
"And he didn't do it and he's adamant about that and always has been. Today is just another continuing part of that saga," Hardin said.
Major League Baseball did not comment on the indictment. But former teammates expressed support for Clemens.
"In my opinion, he's a Hall of Famer. Period," said New York Yankees slugger Lance Berkman, who played with Clemens in Houston.
