Roger Clemens Trial Has Begun

Some interesting things have been revealed in the opening days of Roger Clemens' Federal perjury trial.  While it took a few more days than expected to fill the jury, opening statements were given Wednesday by each side.

Assistant U.S. attorney Steven Durham said in his opening remarks that a needle was recovered from Brian McNamee, Clemens' trainer and lead prosecuting witness.  When that needle was sent to a lab for analysis, it was found to contain both Clemens' DNA and anabolic steroids.



While that was a particularly eye-catching revelation in the Trial's opening day, it is not the issue of this trial.  The prosecution has to convince the jury that Clemens KNEW he was taking performance enhancing drugs and that he knowingly lied to Congress when he testified that he had never done so.

The defense will of course attempt to paint McNamara as a liar and a cheater.  They will most likely claim that McNamara did these things without Clemens' knowledge.

There are several former teammates of Clemens who are expected to testify as prosecution witnesses, and some of them have admitted to using PEDs in the past.  Andy Pettitte's testimony that Clemens told him in a conversation that he had used PEDs, and encouraged Pettitte to start them as well, will be a major moment in this trial.