Home-run king Barry Bonds pleads not guilty

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- Home-run king Barry Bonds pleaded not guilty in federal court Friday to charges related to accusations he used performance-enhancing drugs and lied about it to a grand jury.

Bonds' courtroom battle is the latest blow to the career of a seven-time National League most valuable player, whose indictment accuses him of testing positive for steroids.

Bonds passed through a throng of photographers and police on the way into U.S. District Court in San Francisco, California, and entered a packed courtroom.

After he entered his plea, the judge released him on a $500,000 bond. The charges, laid out in a federal indictment last month, stem from Bonds' December 2003 appearance before a grand jury investigating the distribution of steroids by Balco, a San Francisco-area laboratory.

In court Friday, Bonds momentarily smiled at a group of fans in baseball attire, but otherwise showed little emotion.

Prosecutors asked that his travel be restricted to the United States, but the judge sided with defense attorneys who argued Bonds should be allowed to travel freely to meet his engagements as a professional athlete.

The next court date in the case was set for February 7, though Bonds does not have to appear.

Among those who showed up to see the baseball star appear in court was a 43-year-old travel agent from Sacramento who stood near the courthouse holding a broomstick with a witch costume hanging from it, according to The Associated Press. Watch Bonds wade his way through the crowd »

The man carried a sign welcoming the crowd to what he called a George Mitchell "witchhunt," referring to baseball's steroids investigator.

Also nearby, according to AP, a giant marquee on a tire store said, "Say it ain't so, Barry."

If convicted, Bonds, 43, could face prison time. Although the law allows sentences of up to five years for a perjury count and up to 10 years for a count of obstruction of justice, experts say Bonds would not, in all likelihood, be given such a long sentence.

During his December 2003 testimony in an investigation that focused on the Balco laboratory, Bonds repeatedly denied he had knowingly taken steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds' attorney Mike Rains has insisted his client is innocent, and accused prosecutors of "biased allegations" and "unethical misconduct."

Rains said prosecutors leaked the November 15 indictment to "every media outlet in the nation" before sharing it with defense attorneys or their client.

"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing substances for Bonds and other professional athletes," the indictment said.

Just hours after the indictment became public, a federal judge freed Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson from prison. Anderson, who admitted distributing steroids, was jailed for refusing to cooperate with prosecutors investigating whether Bonds lied to the grand jury.

Bonds is also charged with lying that Anderson never injected him with steroids.

"I fully expect the government to start ratcheting up the pressure on Greg," said Anderson's attorney, Mark Geragos told AP. "He will never cooperate with the government. He doesn't trust them."

Bonds has denied taking steroids at any time in 2001 when he was pursuing the single-season home run record.

Allegations of steroid use prompted congressional hearings and new efforts by Major League Baseball to stop drug use, including a probe led by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell.

Bonds was granted immunity for his grand jury testimony, which took place on December 4, 2003. The indictment states Bonds was promised his testimony would not be used against him except in the cases of "perjury, false declaration or otherwise failing to comply with the court's order."

This year Bonds filed for free agency and severed his tenure with the San Francisco Giants on the first possible day --- after Boston swept the Colorado Rockies in the World Series.

Giants owner Peter Magowan had told Bonds the club would not bring him back for a 16th season.

Bonds has hit 762 homers, breaking Hank Aaron's record on August 7 with a shot into the right-center seats off Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik at San Francisco. But his achievements on the field have long been shadowed by the drug-use allegations.

In addition to his seven MVP awards, Bonds has been selected for 14 All-Star games and eight Gold Glove awards. E-mail to a friend

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