Key accuser returns for 4th day in Clemens trial

[May 17, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Brian McNamee, the key prosecution witness in the Roger Clemens perjury trial, returns to the stand for his fourth day of testimony Thursday.

McNamee testified this week that he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens, a former pitching star, is accused of lying to Congress when he denied using steroids and human growth hormone.

Clemens' lawyer has spent a little over two hours cross-examining McNamee, trying to portray him as a liar with a bad memory, and that will continue Thursday. McNamee, Clemens' former friend and longtime strength coach, is central to the prosecution because he's the only person who will claim firsthand knowledge of Clemens taking performance-enhancing drugs.

The trial is in its fifth week.

[Associated Press; By FREDERIC J. FROMMER]

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