Court security guards investigated for accepting baseballs autographed by Roger Clemens

[madinmaryland]

Several security guards at the District’s federal courthouse have landed in foul territory for accepting free baseballs autographed by superstar pitcher Roger Clemens shortly after a judge last month declared a mistrial in his perjury prosecution.

The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating why and how six signed balls were sent to a guard by someone on Clemens’ defense team. That guard apparently passed the balls along to four or five other officers, the Marshals Service said.

The guards, who work for a private contracting firm, are not permitted to accept gifts from defendants. Baseballs signed by Clemens retail between $100 and $400, depending on their condition.

“The investigation is ongoing but preliminary results indicate that up to six baseballs were given to a contracted court security officer and were distributed among four or five other court security officers,” the Marshals Service said in a statement issued in response to questions by The Washington Post.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/crime-scene/post/court-security-guards-investigated-for-accepting-baseballs-autographed-by-roger-clemens/2011/08/16/gIQAMOADJJ_blog.html?hpid=z2

Sheesh!