The wife of San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has hired her own lawyers to represent her in a case alleging her husband abused her.
Eliana Lopez will be represented by Paula Canny, who also defended former Barry Bonds' trainer Greg Anderson in the BALCO trial, according to Matier and Ross.
Like Anderson, Lopez has so far refused to speak out against her husband but Canny told The San Francisco Chronicle that her client may take the stand in this trial.
Lopez and Mirkarimi both deny that any abuse took place but neighbors reported seeing something different.
Just last Friday Mirkarimi was told by a second judge that he must continue to stay away from both his wife and his young son.
The former San Francisco supervisor is alleged to have bruised his wife during a New Year's Eve argument.
District Attorney George Gascon is seeking three misdemeanor charges. The trial is scheduled to start on Feb. 24.
