Roger Clemens pleaded not guilty today to six counts of lying to Congress at his arraignment in federal court in Washington.
Over 23 seasons, Roger Clemens recorded 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.12 -- Hall of Fame numbers that might not land him in the Hall of Fame.
His plea came some two and a half years after his testimony before Congress that he did not use steroids or human growth hormone, testimony that was in conflict with that of his former trainer, Brian McNamee, and former teammate Andy Pettitte.
U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton set a trial date of April 5, 2011. Before the 20-minute hearing, the government provided Clemens' attorneys with a "voluminous amount of evidence" catalogued in a 34-page index. That gives Clemens the first chance to examine the evidence against him. Walton originally wanted to set the trial for November, but cited the enormous amount of evidence in delaying the trial date until next spring.
INDICTMENT: U.S. vs. Clemens (pdf)
TELL US: Does Clemens deserve any jail time?
GALLERY: Roger Clemens
When asked to enter his plea, Clemens uttered his only words of the hearing in a loud, clear voice: "Not guilty, your honor."
If convicted, sentencing guidelines suggest Clemens face a term of 15 to 21 months in federal prison.
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SOURCE: USA Today | Daily Pitch
Kevin Johnson and Mel Antonen
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