Sad, but true – seems to be the perfect description to the unfolding events at the Trevor Graham’s trial in San Francisco District Court.
As the trial continues and as Angel ‘Memo’ Heredia speaks from the witness stand, names of (formerly) elite athletes reverberate inside the courtroom. The names of Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, Antonio Pettigrew, Dennis Mitchell, Jerome Young and many others are mentioned, time and again, as if on a roll call. These athletes are accused of using steroids and now tagged as cheats.
There seems to be no stopping Angel ‘Memo’ Heredia from revealing everything he knows about the steroid use of former track coach Trevor Graham and his bevy of elite athletes. Graham has repeatedly denied that he had association with Heredia, a confessed steroid dealer and user. Graham insisted that he only had one innocent phone conversation with Heredia, and never met him or bought drugs from him.
But Heredia is saying otherwise. He said he and Graham had known each other since 1996, and the key government witness has taped conversations and photos to prove his statements. He testified that Graham back then had wanted a reliable conduit of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs for his athletes. Plus, according to Heredia, Graham wanted a mentor to teach him how his athletes can beat drug tests.
“Graham said he had read himself some books about drugs, but he wasn’t really knowledgeable,” Heredia said. “He wanted to have a source he could rely on, not only for stuff, but for not getting caught.”
Looks like Graham is now in deep legal and publicity quagmire. His former athletes are also pointing fingers his way. His attorney was saying Graham is being used as a “convenient scapegoat for their past mistakes and their past drug use” by athletes who have been caught using steroids and other drugs.
Other athletes go out and buy steroids freely while a few like Barry Bonds and Graham are used as scapegoats by the government.
Tags: Angel ‘Memo’ Heredia, Antonio Pettigrew, Dennis Mitchell, Jerome Young, Marion James, Montgomery, steroids, Tim, Trevor Graham
Posted in steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Baseball, Steroids in Sports