What is this case fundamentally about?
The case centers on whether Clemens knowingly lied before Congress in February 2008 when he stated, without equivocation, that he never used steroids, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) or any other illegal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Butler and Steven Durham (who prosecuted Miguel Tejada for lying to Congress regarding PEDs and obtained a misdemeanor guilty plea), prosecutors will maintain that Clemens repeatedly lied. They intend to prove that through a mix of witnesses, including Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, and former teammate, Andy Pettitte, and physical evidence, including syringes and other drug paraphernalia that allegedly connect Clemens' DNA to substances he denies using.
Clemens' defense will focus on credibility and recollection issues of the witnesses, such as whether McNamee's checkered past should lead jurors to question his truthfulness or whether Pettitte may have simply misheard Clemens. The defense will also portray the physical evidence -- much of which was provided by McNamee -- as unreliable and possibly tampered.
Read more:
What you need to know about Roger Clemens' perjury trial - Michael McCann - SI.com
