Monday, April 11, 2011

Barry Bonds will be found NOT guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice-- and who really cares?

Seriously, the prosecution called 25 witnesses to the stand and according to "Business Insider" (4/11), the government has spent a combined estimate of $55M in the Balco/Bonds investigation and trial.

As a trial lawyer with more than 25 years of experience, I found it interesting that the Bond's legal defense team believe the evidence was so weak against their client that they didn't even feel the need to call a single witness.

Americans need to know that in today's legal system, there is very little "check and balance" when it comes to state and federal prosecutions. In many instances, prosecutorial ego and long-term legal/political goals outweigh the law and commons sense.

This type of unbridled prosecution reminds me of the criminal case brought against Broadcom executives several years ago. In that case a Federal Judge dismissed stock options backdating-related charges against Broadcom Corp co-founder Henry Nicholas and former Chief Financial Officer William Ruehle, citing allegations of misconduct by prosecutors. A true waste of time, resources, and money for all concerned.

Rather than prosecuting Barry Bonds, the m ney should have been used to investigate and prosecute criminals who cause harm to our citizens. It should have been used to provide much needed funding to our public schools. This money should have been allocated to helping repair and improve our deteriorating roadways and buildings. The money should have been used for the good of all Americans instead of supporting the inflated egos of governmental prosecutors with long-term political motives.

All of us, and especially governmental employees and politicians, need to be held accountable for the poor decisions that are made. To waste $55M on these issues confirms that some Americans have lost track of common sense and the value of a dollar.

It's time for Americans to step back and take a deep breath before wasting our limited resources on truly insignificant things and issues like those involved in the Bonds' case.

After all, other than the prosecutors and small group of "interested" observers, who really cares what Bonds did or didn't do?

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Contact Mitch Jackson at http://JacksonandWilson.com or see...

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