Reporters Who Refuse to Testify Against BALCO and Bonds Going to Jail

San Francisco Chronicle reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada published a series of articles and a book based partly on the leaked transcripts of the testimony of Bonds, Jason Giambi and others before a grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, a Burlingame-based nutritional supplement company exposed as a steroid ring two years ago.

The reporters agreed with the government that they are in contempt of court, but had sought a "nominal monetary fine" and other punishment "short of full blown incarceration," including house arrest and weekend jailing, according to court documents.

The Chronicle reported that Bonds told the grand jury that he believed he was using flaxseed oil and arthritic balm, not steroids, supplied by trainer Greg Anderson, one of five defendants convicted in the BALCO scandal.

The integrity of the media continues to go down the drain along with that of Barry Bonds. It's as if people are fearful of their lives if they testify. It will be interesting to see if the truth in this issue is ever told.