Bonds testified in 2003 that he thought substances given to him by Anderson were arthritis balm and flaxseed oil. Authorities suspected Bonds was lying and that those items were “the clear” and “the cream” — two performance-enhancing drugs tied to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the lab exposed as a steroids supplier to top athletes in baseball, track and other sports.

Although Bonds was promised immunity as long as he told the truth, doubts soon surfaced.

• His former girlfriend, Kimberly Bell, testified the slugger told her he had used steroids, according to Bell’s lawyer. Bonds’ attorney accused Bell of trying to extort money from Bonds and using the platform to promote a book that never was published.
• IRS agent Jeff Novitzky, lead investigator in the steroids probe, said in court filings that BALCO founder Victor Conte told him Bonds used “the clear” on a regular basis.
• Federal agents who raided Anderson’s house seized doping calendars, price lists and other documents pointing to Bonds’ use of steroids and human growth hormone. Federal prosecutors say they need Anderson, in part, to interpret the calendars, which seem to spell out Bonds’ schedule for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Anderson was one of five men convicted in the BALCO scandal. He was sentenced to three months behind bars and three months of home confinement in October after pleading guilty to money laundering and steroid distribution.

He was called to testify before the perjury grand jury and refused. A federal judge found him in contempt of court and ordered him jailed.

Geragos protested, saying Anderson was the victim of an illegal government wiretap and that because Anderson’s refusal to cooperate with government investigators is noted in his earlier plea agreement, he cannot be forced to testify.

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“He took three months in jail rather than cooperate,” Geragos said.

He also says Anderson can’t trust that his testimony will be kept confidential because other BALCO grand jury testimony has been leaked to the press. Excerpts of testimony by Bonds and other key players in the case was published by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Geragos said he plans to repeat the same arguments.

Bonds’ lawyer said Bonds was elated when he heard of Anderson’s release and asked when the two can start working out together again.

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“He’s hoping this is the end of it,” Rains said, “but he doesn’t know that, nor do I.”

Allegations of steroid use long have plagued Bonds, who passed Babe Ruth in May to become second only to Hank Aaron on the career home run list. They intensified in late 2003, when he testified before the original BALCO grand jury, which took testimony from about two dozen athletes.

Without Anderson’s help, prosecutors still could indict Bonds on charges alleging he failed to pay taxes on money made through sales of autographs and other memorabilia. There is also the possibility Bonds could be indicted on perjury charges without Anderson’s testimony.

“There comes a point in time ... where everybody needs to move on,” Rains said. “We hope we have arrived at that point today.”