Bad calls in the BALCO scandal?

Re “Expose a scandal, face a prison term,” Nov. 14

Prosecutors have been abusing the enormous power of federal grand juries for quite some time, yet no one seems to care much. The American Bar Assn., the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute, among others, have called for reform, but Congress has refused.

Arnold Burns, former U.S. deputy attorney general, has said that federal grand juries can be used as a “vicious tool.” They can be used to violate Constitutional rights and basic standards of fairness, while all records are secret forever. We should at least unseal records after 10 years so that abuses can come to light.

ELAINE FLEEMAN

Bakersfield

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If the law states that leaking grand jury proceedings is illegal, then shielding those who do is also a crime and should be punished. If their editor had the common sense not to publish secret material (highly unlikely), these so-called courageous reporters would still be guilty of abetting a criminal but in a lot less trouble. I doubt that such escapades will do much to repair the continuing circulation losses currently suffered by newspapers.

DAVID SIEVERS

Encino

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If San Francisco Chronicle reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada spend time in prison and Barry Bonds and others involved with BALCO are not convicted and walk away free, this will represent a huge miscarriage of justice and send a message that these types of laws need to be seriously reevaluated by the justice system -- and soon.

RICK MERVIS

Northridge