oh man, those Pats are full of cheaters
New England Patriots special-teams captain Larry Izzo is scheduled to testify for the prosecution in the perjury trial against Barry Bonds, which is expected to begin March 2 and last about a month
According to media reports, Izzo will testify that he received performance-enhancing drugs from Greg Anderson, Bonds' personal trainer, in 2003 along with instructions and a schedule of how to use them.
"Mr. Izzo will testify that he was a professional football player and that he first contacted Greg Anderson by phone in approximately January 2003," the court filing by the prosecution says, according to The Boston Globe. "Mr. Izzo will also testify that he first met Anderson in person in approximately May 2003 at BALCO and submitted a urine sample at BALCO at Anderson's request. Mr. Izzo will also testify that [he] submitted additional urine samples to Anderson at later times as well.
"Mr. Izzo will also testify about receiving performance-enhancing substances from Anderson, about instructions from Anderson about how to administer the substances, about the schedule Anderson gave to him for administering the substances, and about what Mr. Anderson told him about the efficacy of those substances."
According to reports, Izzo is the only NFL player scheduled to testify. The government's filing doesn't specify what kinds of PEDs Izzo received from Anderson, or whether he used them.
According to the Globe, Izzo and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not return phone calls seeking comment. Both the Patriots and the NFL declined to comment.
The NFL suspended Patriots safety Rodney Harrison for the first four games of the 2007 season for purchasing human growth hormone through an Internet Web site with a phony prescription from a doctor who had never examined him.
Among other witnesses scheduled to testify for the prosecution is Bonds' former personal shopper, who will testify that she saw the slugger's personal trainer inject him.
Prosecutors also said in their court filing that former teammate Bobby Estalella will testify Bonds told him about using performance-enhancing drugs.
Prosecutors also said they plan to call Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics; his retired brother, Jeremy; and five other former baseball players: Benito Santiago, Armando Rios, Randy Velarde, Marvin Benard and Estalella.
Prosecutors said Kimberly Bell, Bonds' former girlfriend, also will testify Bonds told her he used steroids. They also want her to testify about physical changes that allegedly occurred to Bonds, including shrunken testicles, hair loss and back acne. The government then plans to call a scientist to testify that those physical changes could be attributed to steroid use.
Bonds' attorneys said in their filings that they will ask a judge to bar Bell's testimony about the slugger's body.
Prosecutors also said they intend to call Anderson, who is alleged to have supplied Bonds with steroids, and will try to have him jailed if he won't testify.
Anderson's attorney has said the trainer will refuse to testify. Anderson already has spent more than a year in prison for refusing to testify in front of a federal grand jury investigating Bonds.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
