Clemens Judge Declares Mistrial

A big swing and a miss for prosecutors: The judge in the Roger Clemens perjury trial declared a mistrial today—on only the second day. Prosecutors showed evidence to the jury that the judge had earlier deemed inadmissible, reports the Los Angeles Times. "I don't see how I unring the bell," declared US District Judge Reggie Walton. He scheduled a hearing in September to determine whether a new trial will take place, notes the AP.

The judge called a halt to proceedings during a video of Clemens' testimony before Congress in 2008 in which he denied using steroids. The video included comments from Rep. Elijah Cummings discussing the credibility of Andy Pettitte and his wife, the LA Times explains. Cummings seemed to side with Pettitte's view that Clemens doped. Earlier, Walton said he wouldn't allow testimony about the credibility of certain witnesses, including Pettitte, and prosecutors had been ordered to redact such statements. "Is it me, or do government lawyers kind of suck?" asks Elie Mystal at the Above the Law blog. Click the link to read his take on what happened. (More Roger Clemens stories.)