Bonds enters plea; trial in March

SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds is headed to trial next March on federal charges of lying to a grand jury about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The trial date was set yesterday after baseball's home run king pleaded not guilty when he was rearraigned on 15 felony counts of lying under oath and obstruction of justice.

Lead Bonds attorney Allen Ruby pleaded not guilty to the charges on the slugger's behalf, while Bonds stood silently in front of the judge. Ninety minutes later, Ruby agreed to a March 2 trial date before a second judge.

Bonds, who has not signed with a team this season, pleaded not guilty to similar accusations last December, but a judge ordered prosecutors to rewrite the indictment. The new indictment includes no new allegations.

Bonds was charged with 14 counts of lying under oath and one count of obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors say Bonds lied when he told a grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, known as BALCO, in 2003 that he never knowingly took steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

A much smaller and more subdued crowd attended the Bonds hearings yesterday than had showed up for his first federal court appearance Dec. 17. Dressed in a black pinstripe suit, Bonds stepped out of a black SUV with his attorney and a couple of bodyguards and entered the courthouse through a back entrance without addressing reporters.

Bonds embraced his aunt, Rose Kreidler, after the hearing.

"The reason that I am here is because his father is deceased," said Kreidler.