Andy Pettittte Backtracks on HGH Claim in Roger Clemens Trial

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Wed May 02, 2012 at 11:05:43 AM EST
Tags: Roger Clemens (all tags)

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Whoops. Yesterday Andrew Pettitte testified at Roger Clemens perjury trial that "Roger had mentioned to me that he had taken HGH."

Today, on cross-examination, he said he may have misheard Clemens.

Asked by Clemens' lawyer if it was fair to say it was "50-50" that Pettitte misunderstood the conversation from about a dozen years ago, Pettitte responded, "I'd say that's fair."

Isn't that exactly what Clemens told Congress -- that Pettitte "misremembers" their conversation?

Newsday reporter Jim Baumbach is in court and has a running account on Twitter of the testimony and objections. Baumbach writes the prosecutor didn't follow up on Pettitte's comment on redirect (which surprised the judge) and Clemens' lawyers will be filing a motion to strike Pettitte's testimony.

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Andy Pettittte Backtracks on HGH Claim in Roger Clemens Trial | 30 comments (30 topical)

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Stupidest prosecution (5.00 / 3) (#1)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2012 at 11:26:07 AM EST

in a long history of stupid prosecutions.

For crissakes, lying to Congress?

When will they prosecute Clarence Thomas? The Bush Administration?

[Yeah, I know statute of limitations]

I agree, BTD (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by Zorba on Wed May 02, 2012 at 11:35:09 AM EST

And the second stupidest prosecution is the John Edwards trial (Jeralyn's post below).
Does the government not have better uses for our taxpayer dollars than wasting them on these "show trials"?


Meh (5.00 / 3) (#3)
by bmaz on Wed May 02, 2012 at 11:46:59 AM EST

The government has money and time to burn since they are not using it to prosecute torture, the financial fraud devastation or the greatest crime against the environment in our nation's history. See, all good!


Gee, thanks, bmaz (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Zorba on Wed May 02, 2012 at 11:51:41 AM EST

Now I'm depressed. :-(


Now, Zorba honey, don't blame bmaz. (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by caseyOR on Wed May 02, 2012 at 06:20:48 PM EST

You were depressed about the state of the nation long before bmaz posted that comment. :-)


: All too true, (none / 0) (#20)
by Zorba on Wed May 02, 2012 at 06:39:17 PM EST

casey, all too true.

Prosecute (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by lentinel on Wed May 02, 2012 at 03:34:47 PM EST

Bush and/or Cheney for shredding the Constitution?
Obama says we should move on.

I think he should move on.


I agree, waste of resources (none / 0) (#5)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed May 02, 2012 at 12:17:55 PM EST

When will they prosecute Holder?


I'm hearing he's gone (none / 0) (#6)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2012 at 12:19:06 PM EST

no matter who wins the election.


: I'll (none / 0) (#13)
by lentinel on Wed May 02, 2012 at 03:36:11 PM EST

be glad when Holder is gone.
Who in the world appointed this guy anyway?

: Any word (none / 0) (#15)
by sj on Wed May 02, 2012 at 04:49:48 PM EST

as to possible replacement?

Disagree, Somewhat (none / 0) (#7)
by ScottW714 on Wed May 02, 2012 at 01:18:57 PM EST

There has to be consequences to lying to Congress.

The waste of tax payers dollars was the entire Congressional investigation that lead this. Clemens should have never been answering questions about his drug use to Congress. But since he volunteered, it's pretty GD stupid to lie about it.

That being said, there is reason Pettitte is only testifying and Clemens is a defendant. The both used HGH. How many people were named in the Mitchell Report, and only one couldn't let it go.

He's facing 30 years, what an idiot.


There are no consequences (5.00 / 2) (#8)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed May 02, 2012 at 01:35:54 PM EST

to lying to Congress.

This has been proven over and over again.

You say Clemens is not being tried fro using steroids.

I strongly disagree.

That is PRECISELY why he is being tried.


: Right. (5.00 / 1) (#16)
by bmaz on Wed May 02, 2012 at 05:07:18 PM EST

For instance cross reference how the DOJ actively and affirmatively fought to insure that Scott Bloch received no jail time (and ultimately no conviction as they have never refiled charges on him) for the same crime. And Bloch lied about destruction of critical Office of Special Counsel records and data and specific whistleblower complaints against him and his office. Quite different from the BS they are jerking Roger Clemens around on.
I am sure Henry Waxman's old good friend George Mitchell and MLB had nothing to do with it....

: There ARE consequences, BTD -- ... (none / 0) (#11)
by Donald from Hawaii on Wed May 02, 2012 at 03:29:19 PM EST

... sometimes. Hey, that's what celebrity prosecutions are for. Being a celebrity sometimes means you're a high-profile target for some ambitious attorney's resume and portfolio. Bad Roger. Bad, bad boy. Go to your room.
But if you're talking about the Masters of the Universe who lord it over the rewst of us from over on the eastern seaboard, yeah, you're right. Being Chairman and / or CEO of Bank of America and CitiCorp means never having to say you're sorry -- except, of course, occasionally in a totally disingenuous sort of way, not unlike John Belushi in Animal House, after he busted up that guy's guitar.

Why? (5.00 / 3) (#10)
by kdog on Wed May 02, 2012 at 01:45:21 PM EST

There are no consequences when Congress lies to us...it's an appalling double-standard.

Same goes for the police...they can lie to you, but you can't lie to them?

Equality under the law my arse.


Is this the same prosecution team (none / 0) (#9)
by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Wed May 02, 2012 at 01:38:42 PM EST

Is this the same prosecution team that hid evidence in the Senator Stevens trial. It seems that at least part of the DOJ lacks adult supervision.

: No (none / 0) (#17)
by bmaz on Wed May 02, 2012 at 05:08:55 PM EST

But they are both directed ultimately out of DOJ Main.

Or (none / 0) (#14)
by jbindc on Wed May 02, 2012 at 04:38:17 PM EST

Someone had a little conversation with Pettit about unpleasant facts that may come out him if he doesn't "misremember" some facts.

The unpleasant fact... (none / 0) (#18)
by kdog on Wed May 02, 2012 at 05:14:08 PM EST

of being party to this travesty and testifying against a former teammate and friend should have been enough. Maybe his conscience got the better of him on the stand.


I suspect his conscience was more (none / 0) (#21)
by oculus on Thu May 03, 2012 at 01:45:49 AM EST

dominant yesterday and his friendship prevailed today.


So you (none / 0) (#22)
by bmaz on Thu May 03, 2012 at 02:59:28 AM EST

...are accusing Pettitte of perjuring himself today? On what basis? There has never been anything in the record I am aware of to indicate that Pettitte is anything less than honest when he says he could have misunderstood, and his qualification that such is the case is far from something that popped up today; I believe he had hedged on this before and it was no big surprise to the people litigating the case.


Agree to disagree... (none / 0) (#23)
by kdog on Thu May 03, 2012 at 09:36:05 AM EST

doing right by your friends is something my conscience tells me regularly. Not to mention never to be a rat informer.

He may feel guilty about messing with HGH himself...but I don't think thats why he testified for the state in this nonsensical persecution and almost jammed up his so called friend. He got the chance to try to make it right on Day 2, and he did by opening up reasonable doubt. Better late than never.


I assumed he was subpoenaed. (none / 0) (#24)
by oculus on Thu May 03, 2012 at 12:24:39 PM EST

: Either way... (none / 0) (#27)
by kdog on Fri May 04, 2012 at 10:13:17 AM EST

conscience supercedes subpoena, at least in my world.
I wonder if Andy will be the next charged with lying to Congress...his testimony appears to contradict his sworn statement.

I'm a red sox fan (none / 0) (#25)
by CST on Thu May 03, 2012 at 03:18:02 PM EST

which means a part of me would feel a sick sadistic kind of pleasure at seeing Roger Clemens go to jail for 30 years.

And then I remember I'm also a human being and realize this is completely insane.

How do you feel... (none / 0) (#26)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri May 04, 2012 at 09:13:11 AM EST

...about Rivera blowing out his knee?


I've liked Rivera (none / 0) (#28)
by CST on Fri May 04, 2012 at 10:36:22 AM EST

ever since 2004. He blew some critical saves that year. Plus... you gotta have a grudging respect for the always-yankees. They are who they are, they wear their evil loud and proud for the world to see, and never dupe you into rooting for them. It's the turncoats, like Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon that are really hated. It's fine for a red sox player to move on, it happens all the time, it's a business etc... It's not fine for them to move on to the yankees. Especially if they were ever a hero. Your backup 3rd baseman can maybe get away with it. If your name is Roger Clemens, and you were our hero before you got old for us, and then went to the yankees and started using 'roids - we will hate you forever. At least we'll always have game 3 of the 1999 ALCS when Pedro smoked Clemens in Fenway and we won 13-1. That was the only game we won in that series, but it was also the only one that really mattered.

In other words, I feel bad for Rivera, he was a great player, and he has earned his place in history as one of the greatest closers (if not the greatest) of all time. Also, thanks for blowing those saves! And I guess I also think Roger Clemens probably doesn't deserve 30 years in prison for taking steroids while on the yankees. Probably...


: Come on... (5.00 / 1) (#29)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri May 04, 2012 at 10:43:08 AM EST

how do you really feel? :)

: Roger Clemens... (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by kdog on Fri May 04, 2012 at 10:44:31 AM EST

deserves to be pelted with rotten tomatos anytime he is in New England, but not a cage.
Congress & the Dept. of Injustice are the greater villians in this saga...by far.