Remaining charges against Bonds dropped

SAN FRANCISCO -- Federal prosecutors yesterday dropped all the remaining charges against Barry Bonds, days after a judge upheld the slugger's conviction on an obstruction of justice count.

The U.S. attorney's office informed U.S. District Judge Susan Illston it was dismissing the three charges of making false statements still pending against Bonds. A jury deadlocked on the three counts at Bonds' trial in April.

Now, baseball's all-time home run leader won't face a new trial on accusations that he lied to a grand jury in 2003 when he testified that he never knowingly received steroids or human growth hormone from trainer Greg Anderson, and that no one other than his doctors ever injected him with anything.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Parrella declined to comment.

Bonds' lawyer, Allen Ruby, said that his client's legal team was focused on the slugger's sentencing hearing in December.

Bonds initially was charged in November 2007 with lying to the grand jury during a December 2003 appearance when he testified that his personal trainer misled him into believing the designer steroids and performance enhancing drugs he was taking were legal supplements.

A majority of jurors this year voted to acquit him on charges he lied when he denied knowingly taking steroids and human growth hormone. Jurors voted 11-1 to convict him for denying that anyone other than his doctor ever injected him.

Bonds faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, though federal guidelines recommend a sentence of 15 to 21 months. Illston, who upheld the obstruction count last Friday, also is free to impose a lesser sentence. -- AP