Barry Bonds first appeared before a federal grand jury in 2003 over steroid allegations (Photo via Creative Commons).

The much anticipated trial of Major League Baseball's home run king Barry Bonds began in San Francisco Monday, roughly eight years after he first appeared before a federal grand jury.

Eight women and four men were chosen as jurors for the former San Francisco Giant outfielder's federal felony trial. Although allegations over steroid use will undoubtedly surround the case, the prosecution - led by an assistant U.S. attorney Matthew Parrella - hopes the jury will focus on Bonds' perjury charges during the trial.

Bonds has pleaded not guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and four charges of lying to a grand jury when he said he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs, according to ESPN.

Bonds, 46, broke the home run records held by MLB legends Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth during his illustrious and later controversial career. However, his accomplishments have been overshadowed by an investigation of a Bay Area lab that distributed performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.

The key witnesses for the prosecution are reportedly Bonds' former mistress, an ex-teammate who said Bonds told him about his steroid use and a doctor is expected to testify that Bonds tested positive for steroids in a urine sample given to the MLB in 2003.

Opening statements are expected to begin on Tuesday and the case is slated to last two to four weeks. 

Read more from the Christian Science Monitor here.

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