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Barry Bonds' attorney is asking federal authorities to investigate who told a newspaper that the Giants had forwarded the baseball star's medical records to a grand jury investigating him for perjury and tax evasion.
Citing two people familiar with the probe, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that the U.S. Attorney's office had received the medical records last week in response to a subpoena issued to the Giants.
Bonds' lawyer, Michael Rains, said there is nothing in the records indicating that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs. Still, Rains said he would file a complaint Monday with a federal judge in San Francisco protesting what he alleged was a government leak of his client's medical records.
"Basically, we're sending a letter to the U.S. Attorney and court seeking an investigation into the leak of the medical records," said Maggie Bedig, a Rains spokeswoman.
The government's steroid probe has been riddled with leaks, and investigators are already seeking the testimony of two Chronicle reporters to find out who leaked them the secret testimony of Bonds, Jason Giambi and other athletes who testified before a grand jury in 2003.
A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan denied that his office was the source of the leaks.
"The government understands and readily complies with its obligation to keep all sensitive material confidential," Luke Macaulay said in a statement. "We always welcome, and have in fact ourselves requested, investigations into all potential sources of leaks of such sensitive material, including potential non-governmental sources."
Bonds is suspected of lying to a grand jury when he testified in December 2003 that he never knowingly used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. A grand jury was convened to investigate those allegations, as well as whether Bonds failed to pay taxes on the sale of memorabilia.
That grand jury expired last week without handing down an indictment, but a new panel will take up the probe and begin hearing testimony as soon as this week.
Source: ESPN.com
Citing two people familiar with the probe, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that the U.S. Attorney's office had received the medical records last week in response to a subpoena issued to the Giants.
Bonds' lawyer, Michael Rains, said there is nothing in the records indicating that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs. Still, Rains said he would file a complaint Monday with a federal judge in San Francisco protesting what he alleged was a government leak of his client's medical records.
"Basically, we're sending a letter to the U.S. Attorney and court seeking an investigation into the leak of the medical records," said Maggie Bedig, a Rains spokeswoman.
The government's steroid probe has been riddled with leaks, and investigators are already seeking the testimony of two Chronicle reporters to find out who leaked them the secret testimony of Bonds, Jason Giambi and other athletes who testified before a grand jury in 2003.
A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan denied that his office was the source of the leaks.
"The government understands and readily complies with its obligation to keep all sensitive material confidential," Luke Macaulay said in a statement. "We always welcome, and have in fact ourselves requested, investigations into all potential sources of leaks of such sensitive material, including potential non-governmental sources."
Bonds is suspected of lying to a grand jury when he testified in December 2003 that he never knowingly used illegal performance-enhancing drugs. A grand jury was convened to investigate those allegations, as well as whether Bonds failed to pay taxes on the sale of memorabilia.
That grand jury expired last week without handing down an indictment, but a new panel will take up the probe and begin hearing testimony as soon as this week.
Source: ESPN.com