Back in February of 2008, Roger Clemens swore under oath before a Congressional committee that he did not take performance-enhancing drugs, and had not discussed them with former teammates and trainers. Skeptical, Congress asked the Department of Justice to take a closer look at Clemens' claims, and here's your punchline:
Federal authorities have decided to indict Roger Clemens on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, according to two people briefed on the matter.
Boom. An indictment, of course, is not the same thing as a conviction, but it's the first step on the way, and Roger Clemens can now look forward to the distinct probability of a trial at a later date. Turns out the contradictions between his testimony and that of former trainer Brian McNamee - which linked him to PED use - were too blatant to ignore.
NBC's Craig Calcaterra has more on the indictment. He writes:
Many of Clemens' statements are exceedingly difficult to square with known facts and common sense. At the same time, many of the witnesses against Clemens already face credibility issues, Brian McNamee chief among them. Even if you believe, as I am inclined to, that Clemens was not truthful during his Congressional testimony, convicting him of perjury will be no easy feat.
Oh, the public is going to love this.