Ryan Braun could be called in Clemens trial

WASHINGTON – The prosecution in the Roger Clemens perjury retrial has filed a motion that could lead to additional major league players being called to testify about the prevalence of performance enhancing drugs in the game.

National League MVP Ryan Braun, recently-retired Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and Clemens' former Yankees' teammate Paul O'Neill are among the names already on the court's list of possible witnesses. But the scope could broaden.

The motion before U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton was filed late Wednesday night in response to the defense's five-page memorandum challenging the authority of the 2008 congressional investigation into the use of performance enhancing drugs in baseball. It is during that investigation that Clemens, according to the prosecution, deliberately lied to Congress about his use of PEDs.

The defense motion argues that the government must show that the hearings were a "competent tribunal" and that Congress went beyond its powers to investigate." The prosecution motion argues that Congress was investigating a matter of "national impact because of the widespread problem of steroid use and other performance enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball."

The prosecution's motion states:

"If defendant intends to contest … the government's proof on the 'competent tribunal' element of the perjury count by suggesting that Congress's purpose was illegitimate, the government must – of necessity – be permitted to show the 'broader context' surrounding this congressional inquiry. … This, in turn, may well mean the United States should be permitted to elicit testimony about, for example, drug use, by other Major League players."

Walton is expected to rule on the motions before opening arguments are presented Monday morning.


(usatoday.com)