Judge Calls Balk in Roger Clemens' Trial?
The Honorable Judge Reggie Walton called a mistrial in the trial of Roger Clemens for perjury. So far, we only know the words used by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, the presiding and honorable judge in Clemens' trial for alleged steroids use, “First-Year Law Student.” Now, let's analyze what this mistrial means for Roger Clemens in terms that can be appreciated by only a true fan of America's Pastime.
In baseball, a balk is an action taken by the pitcher that violates the balk rule. The balk rule only comes into play when there are one or more runners on base. The rule's purpose is to prevent the pitcher from being deceptive, in such a manner as to trick or fool, any men on base. For example, a pitcher cannot fake a pitch to the batter, then throw the ball in a 270 degree spin to the third baseman with the intentions of throwing out the runner. When an umpire calls a balk, the game stops and each runner gets to advance one base, in most cases.
In Clemens' trial, the judge is the umpire and the prosecution is the pitcher on the mound. Clemens is merely the opposing pitcher sitting on the bench with his eyes closed, praying silently. The judge decided that a mistrial in fact occurred when the prosecutors showed the jury evidence that the judge had ruled out. The evidence shown to the jury was videotape of a teammate that said Clemens told his wife he confessed to using a drug. Simply in baseball terms, the umpire called a balk. This fact that a mistrial occurred does not yet set Clemens free from legal repercussions.
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