Balco head to spill the beans

The head of the Balco laboratory charged with distributing steroids to top athletes vowed yesterday to tell all in an upcoming television interview as defence lawyers in the case privately expressed dismay.

Also yesterday, US district court judge Susan Illston said she was inclined to reject defence motions to dismiss charges against Balco head Victor Conte and three others, although she would allow some hearings into how the Government conducted the case.

The judge spoke at a pre-trial hearing at which Conte's lawyer, Robert Holley, said he did not know in advance that Conte had granted an interview to the ABC news magazine 20/20.

"You didn't know about this?" a surprised Illston asked.

"I didn't even know about it until I read about it in the paper," Holley told the court, suggesting some tension with his high-profile client.

Outside the court, without his lawyer, Conte issued a short statement which amounted to a promotion for tomorrow's broadcast.

"I'm soon going to tell the truth as I know it," Conte said, referring to the 20/20 broadcast.

"The world deserves to know the truth about performance-enhancing drugs."

Defence lawyers typically instruct their clients to stay silent in public, lest their statements be used against them at trial.

Several lawyers on the case privately expressed surprise and annoyance at his decision to speak out.

Last month, Conte issued a toughly worded statement condemning the US Government's conduct in the case, but he has not named names in public.

Alyssa Ziegler Apple, a spokeswoman for 20/20, said Conte would do so in the programme.

Conte's complaints about how investigators conducted searches was the focus of several motions to dismiss the case.

"My preliminary view is to deny everything," Illston said.

- REUTERS