Clemens in court to argue against 2nd trial

[September 02, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former baseball star Roger Clemens is due in court to find out whether he'll face a second trial on charges that he lied about using performance-enhancing drugs.

A hearing is scheduled Friday in federal court over Clemens' motion to dismiss felony charges against him after a mistrial seven weeks ago.

Clemens is arguing that another trial would violate his constitutional protection against facing the same charges twice. He accuses prosecutors of purposefully violating court orders to provoke a mistrial because their case was going badly.

Most legal experts agree that's a tough argument to make because the trial was called off on only the second day of testimony. Prosecutors say they unintentionally showed jurors inadmissible evidence and are asking for another chance to convict the pitching standout.

[Associated Press; By NEDRA PICKLER]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.