Chronicle Balco reporters to appeal judge's jail order

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Two San Francisco Chronicle reporters plan to appeal a federal judge's order to jail them until they agree to testify about who leaked them secret grand jury testimony from Barry Bonds and other elite athletes.

Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada won't have to report to prison pending their appeal of Thursday's ruling, which could keep them behind bars for more than a year.

The reporters repeatedly have said they would rather go to jail than reveal how they obtained the transcripts from a grand jury that investigated the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative. The pair published a series of articles and a book based partly on the leaked testimony by Bonds, Jason Giambi and others.

"I'm supposed to keep my promises when people help me and take me at my word," Williams said in court Thursday. "I do despair for our country if we go very far down this road, because no one will talk to reporters."

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White rejected the reporters' request for simply a monetary fine, or even house arrest, saying that prison time would best compel them to testify before the grand jury investigating the leak.

"The court is hopeful that perhaps they'll reconsider their position when faced with the reality of incarceration," White said.

Federal prosecutors had asked the judge to send the reporters to prison for a maximum of 18 months --- the length of a typical grand jury term.

Both sides agreed to stay Thursday's ruling pending an appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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