Barry Bonds Trial Proceeds To Grand Jury Testimony As New Tape Ruled Inadmissible

After a Monday hiccup, the Barry Bonds trial is back on Tuesday morning, which is good news for all of us, since moving forward is the only way to reach the end.

Some lab workers have been called to testify about how Bonds’ urine sample was handled during the testing process in 2006. This was the sample that tested positive for THG, or “the clear”. It was also a sample that tested positive for clomid, which is used as a masking agent. This is an important point. It would be difficult for Bonds’ team to argue the slugger didn’t know what he was taking if he was also taking a masking agent. The positive clomid result hasn’t yet been admitted as evidence, but the judge says that it probably will be soon, and at that point it will be up to the defense to argue that the test wasn’t up to the stands of the scientific community. Bonds’ sample was only tested once, where it’s normal protocol for a positive result to be confirmed with a second test.

Now then, on to the really spicy stuff - the suddenly-discovered tape of a recorded conversation between Steve Hoskins and Dr. Arthur Ting. Hoskins, remember, testified that he and Ting spoke about Bonds and steroids 50 times. Ting then testified that no such conversations ever took place. The recorded conversation is muddled, but there are several references to “Barry”, seemingly substantiating Hoskins’ testimony.

A transcript of the tape was submitted by the prosecution, but in the end, the judge ruled it inadmissible, saying it was “barely intelligible” and littered with issues. This is a pretty big win for the defense, which had been caught off guard by the discovery. The prosecution can show that a conversation between Hoskins and Ting was recorded, but they cannot discuss what was said.

As of this writing, Bonds’ grand jury testimony is being read aloud in the courtroom. It is this grand jury testimony in which the prosecution alleges Bonds lied, so this is really the heart of the whole thing.

Follow along in this StoryStream for updates, and also get more information from SB Nation Bay Area’s Barry Bonds trial coverage, for which David Fucillo will be live-blogging - and live-tweeting - from the courtroom. You can follow on Twitter @SBNBayArea.