Bonds plans to sue authors, book publisher

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds' lawyer said he plans to sue the authors and publisher of a book alleging the outfielder used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.

Attorney Michael Rains sent a letter Thursday to an agent for the authors of "Game of Shadows," alerting them of his plans to sue the writers, publisher Gotham Books, the San Francisco Chronicle and Sports Illustrated, which published excerpts earlier this month.

A hearing in San Francisco Superior Court was scheduled for today.

The book by Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams was released Thursday. It claims Bonds used steroids, human growth hormone, insulin and other banned substances for at least five seasons beginning in 1998.

The Chronicle reported that Rains will ask a federal judge to initiate contempt proceedings "for the use of illegally obtained" grand jury transcripts the authors used in writing the book. The paper also reported that Rains said profits should be forfeited because of that.

"Gotham can speak to the legal issues, but the facts in our book are true and they will stand up to scrutiny," Williams said.

-- AP