Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today *UPDATE -- Found Not Guilty*

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

While I don't care a whit about the sex lives of consenting adults, I can understand why there were impeachment proceedings. And I say that as someone who still has huge admiration for Clinton.

Ragu, I really think Clemens has convinced himself that he didn't use and didn't lie. I bet he has the ability to trick his mind into passing a lie detector test.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

A lot of what happens in our legal system also has to do with selectivity. Police departments and prosecutors offices do not pursue every possible case; resources do not allow it. There are dozens upon dozens upon thousands of cases more fitting to prosecute than this one, much as with Bonds. But it's political red meat, much as with Bonds.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

If you just keep giving everyone a pass, eventually no one will testify truthfully.

Yes there's selective prosecution, limited resources requires that. But I do not believe there are thousands more fitting cases, here there is at the very minimum, probable cause that a man committed perjury. The only reason its $$ is not because of the merits of the case, but because of his ability to mount an expensive defense. The resources of the defendant SHOULD NOT determine whether he/she is prosecuted or not. I believe that is why Mr. Clemens is standing trial, because the Govt. did not want to be seen as caving in to a well-heeled defendant. For that I happily pay my federal taxes.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

I find it hard to believe that with Pettitte's testimony that Clemens walks. You've got a witness testifying directly that Clemens made an admission to him. Either Clemens testifies and directly contradicts him (thereby opening up Clemens to all sorts of cross-examination questions and the inevitable squirming around in the witness box) or its stays out there uncontradicted. As a trial lawyer, all I'm hoping is that Pettitte comes across credible and honest. If so, that's a huge day, or course assuming that the jury follows the law and not passion (I estimate the vast majority of jurors try very hard to follow the law.)

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

No, the severity of the crime and/or what's at stake should determine it. Clemens is not being accused of lying about selling steroids at the corner near the local high school. He is accused of lying about using PEDs as part of getting an advantage in an athletic competition. Except it's political red meat for a bunch of rich Congressmen to show they're doing something about rich athletes supposedly tainting the record book. It's about scoring points in the War on Drugs without tackling the true foot soldiers, or crafting rational laws. I'm pissed my tax dollars are going toward it.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

Agreed, 1000 percent. It NEVER should have reached the level of Congressional investigation in the first place. Grandstanding/distraction ploy of the highest order.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

Amazing that guy asks for the chance to lie, does so, looks bad committing perjury and you're fine with it.

Clemens took it to the floor, not Congress. He created the situation, not Congress.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

Of course, "Just A Couple of Times" Andy had to testify/rend his garment now, so that he could clear the books and stand at the ready in time for his next Yankee closeup . . . personal interest trumping the previous friendship, in a big way . . .

Clemens' monstrous ego leads straight into his serious depths of self-delusion. Hope he gets exactly what he deserves.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

And there's your reasonable doubt:

Pitcher Andy Pettitte acknowledged under cross-examination Wednesday that he might have misunderstood Roger Clemens when Pettitte said he heard his former teammate say he used human growth hormone.

Asked by Clemens' lawyer if it was fair to say it was ''50-50'' that Pettitte misunderstood the conversation from 1999 or 2000, Pettitte responded, ''I'd say that's fair.''

...

But after Pettitte's testimony, with jurors out of the room, Clemens' lawyer asked U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton to strike Pettitte's testimony as ''insufficiently definitive.''

Walton asked the lawyer for a filing on that but made it clear he had doubts about Pettitte's testimony.

Going to trial with your best witness testifying to an ambiguous statement from more than 10 years earlier. Jesus H.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

Damn, okay, there goes my faith in Pettitte. Go back and crawl under the rock you just came from. Don't come out when they chant "gamer, Yankee Great." You're an admitted cheater (who cheated twice) and a farce.

You cannot even get your story straight? I guarantee you that the US Attorney was never told by Pettitte that his memory was ever in doubt. That guy is still s***king Clemens' knob and Clemens just got lucky. (The hardest thing for a trial lawyer is having your witness change their story while you sit there watching with your poker face.)

Clemens' story has so many unbelievable aspects its hilarious yet he's now going to walk because Pettitte folded like a cheap tent.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

. . . and now the creep wants it both ways.

Yankee. Baseball.

A needle SHOULD be part of the insignia.

 

Re: Andy Petitte testifying at Clemens trial today

Just FYI, if you're not following TJ Quinn's live tweeting from the Clemens trial, you're missing a helluva show. Just outstanding.