Court Tosses Evidence in Barry Bonds Steroid Case

(CN) - The 9th Circuit on Friday tossed evidence that prosecutors hoped would link Barry Bonds to steroid use.

The three-judge panel affirmed a district court ruling that calendars and coded drug test results were hearsay and inadmissible without testimony from Bonds' former trainer Greg Anderson, who refused to testify. Anderson was jailed for contempt of court.

"There was support for (the district court's) conclusion that Anderson's statements about the source of samples were not trustworthy," the circuit ruled.

The government must now decide whether to continue with court proceedings, which were halted in February 2009 the day before a jury was chosen.

Bonds faces 11 felony counts, including lying to a grand jury about drug use. He has said he is innocent.

In 2007, Bonds passed Hank Aaron to become Major League Baseball's career home run leader.

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