Former U.S. Attorney, BALCO Prosecutor Sits For Interview

Former U.S. attorney Kevin Ryan, who was lead prosecutor in the BALCO probe, participated in an interview last week with Fainaru-Wada & Williams of the S.F. CHRONICLE.  Ryan, who was among eight U.S. attorneys fired in January, “was more candid than ever concerning his views on sports, his handling of the BALCO investigation and how he hopes to help alleviate the big-league steroids problem in the future.”  When discussing the BALCO case, Ryan “avoids mentioning [Giants LF Barry] Bonds by name.”  He “predicted that his successor, acting U.S. Attorney Scott Schools, would wrap up BALCO -- and, by implication, the Bonds perjury probe -- relatively soon.”  Ryan: “It's almost been five years.  All things must come to an end.  At some time, we have to have closure.”  Ryan declined to predict whether Bonds would be indicted.  Meanwhile, he is “hoping to parlay his expertise on drugs and sports into a new career in a private law practice.”  Ryan is currently a partner with Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis along with attorney and former NFLer Bob Moore.  The two “hope to represent sports leagues and teams that are confronting doping issues, and perhaps individual athletes as well” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/17).