Y-community with Number 30: C.J. Hunter testifies before Balco grand jury.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Byline: Sean Webby

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ With track star Marion Jones aiming to make another U.S. Olympic team, her ex-husband slipped into federal court Thursday in San Francisco and testified before the grand jury investigating the Balco Laboratories doping case, the San Jose Mercury News has learned.

C.J. Hunter was seen walking into the courthouse Thursday morning. Asked why he was there, the former world-champion shot putter declined comment. His attorney, Angela DeMent, said, "It's not for pleasure."

Returning a telephone call, DeMent later said she and Hunter flew from North Carolina as part of their "cooperation with authorities." She declined to say what information he provided.

Prosecutor Jeff Nedrow did not return phone calls.

Indictments in the Balco case have already been issued against four Bay Area men. Ongoing testimony could mean that more charges will be filed or that others will be indicted, legal experts said.

DeMent said Hunter has been assured by federal prosecutors that he is not a target of their investigation.

Although Jones has repeatedly denied taking banned performance-enhancing substances, Hunter _ who tested positive for steroids four times before the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney _ could be in a position to provide contradictory information.

Such information could lead to perjury charges against Jones if evidence suggests that she took illegal substances and lied about it to the grand jury.

Perjury cases, while not rare, are difficult to prove, said Rory Little of the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. "It's always hard to prove what is the truth," Little said.

Hunter, 35, could also add to the U.S. attorney's portrait of Balco as a front for an illegal steroid-distribution ring catering to elite athletes.

Indicted in the case are Victor Conte Jr., Balco's president; Balco vice president James Valente; Castro Valley track coach Remi Korchemny; and Greg Anderson, private trainer of Giants left fielder Barry Bonds. All have pleaded not guilty.

Last month, Hunter gave comprehensive interviews to federal investigators on the criminal side of the Balco investigation, and to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which is investigating allegations of steroid use among U.S. Olympic athletes, including Jones.

Jones' legal team has said that Balco simply performed blood work and suggested a nutritional regimen for the sprinter, mostly through Hunter and coach Trevor Graham.

"So long as anyone who testifies tells the truth, it will be good news for Marion, as it will confirm what she has said all along _ namely that her success is the result of her God-given abilities and hard work," said Rich Nichols, a lawyer for Jones.

Hunter and Jones married in 1998, separated in 2001 and divorced in 2002. Jones is now the girlfriend of sprinter Tim Montgomery, the world-record holder in the 100 meters. Montgomery is facing a possible lifetime ban from the anti-doping agency based on evidence gathered in the Balco investigation. His case has not yet been resolved.

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C.J. Hunter

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C.J. Hunter testifies before Balco grand jury.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)