Barry Bonds trial: Former friend talks steroid use, girlfriends
But on Wednesday in federal court, he testified as a government witness in the perjury and obstruction of justice case against the former baseball superstar.
In hushed tones, Hoskins described Bonds' use of anabolic steroids, and how Bonds and his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, talked openly about it.
"(Bonds) told me (in 1999), 'Find out about this Winstrol steroid and its effect on me,' " said Hoskins, now a salesman for a local software company. "He instructed me to go talk to (Bonds' physician) Dr. Arthur Ting."
Hoskins says Bonds' interest in steroids coincided with an elbow injury.
Hoskins discussed steroids with Ting, received a document on the topic, and then shared it with Bonds in the Giants clubhouse.
Later, at one of Bonds' houses in spring training in 2000, Bonds complained "his butt was sore from the injections (of steroids)," said Hoskins, who did not see the shots administered. He said he saw Anderson handling a needle in the house.
"I observed them (Anderson and Bonds) go in the master bedroom, then come out," said Hoskins, who saw this happen a "couple times." Hoskins said he did not see Bonds inject himself.
Hoskins recalled another occasion when Bonds, with Anderson in tow, had received an injection -- at then-Pacific Bell Park, the Giants' ballpark, in 2002.
Bonds usually treated Anderson "extremely well." But there were times when Bonds was upset at Anderson, usually when Anderson would not inject Bonds and the baseball player had to do it himself, Hoskins said.
Over the next few years, Hoskins noticed physical changes in Bonds -- a bulked-up frame, bigger shoes and a larger glove. By 2003, it "seemed to be getting out of hand," Hoskins said.
Concerned, Hoskins told Bonds' father, Bobby. And Hoskins secretly recorded Anderson to "show Bobby what was going on... and have him stop it."
The recording, played in court, was recorded near Bonds' locker at Pac Bell Park. The tape was turned over to Hoskins' attorney in 2005.
In the garbled recording, Anderson and Hoskins seem to be discussing shots, steroids and Bonds.
"Guys would get some gnarly infections," Anderson said, in apparent reference to poorly administered steroids injections.
Bonds' attorney, Allen Ruby, pressed Hoskins on whether the recording was "enhanced," or segments erased. Hoskins said no, but appeared to conflict himself upon cross-examination.
Hoskins' relationship with Bonds abruptly ended in 2003 over Bonds' accusations that Hoskins stole from him and did not devote enough time to their business.
Ruby challenged Hoskins' motivation for the secret taping.
"The truth is that you did not tape Greg Anderson so you could play it for Bobby Bonds, right?" Ruby said. Hoskins disagreed.
Under questioning from Ruby, Hoskins acknowledged the recording was "enhanced" -- its volume was raised, Hoskins said.
In his opening statement Tuesday, Ruby claimed that charges of theft and forgery against Hoskins were dropped when he agreed to testify for the government against Bonds.
Earlier, Hoskins explained, in detail, how thousands of dollars from his memorabilia venture with Bonds were distributed to Anderson, two of Bonds' girlfriends, his family and others.
Hoskins met Bonds when they were children through his father Bob, a former San Francisco 49er who was friends with Bobby Bonds, Barry's father. After losing touch, they reconnected in late 1992.
The soft-spoken Hoskins ran errands for Bonds until the two began to do business together, selling Hoskins' lithographs in 1993. Eventually, they formalized a business arrangement for the sale of sports memorabilia. (Hoskins worked with a handful of other baseball players.)
Money from the Bonds-Hoskins enterprise was kept in Hoskins' bank account and a safe that held as much as $100,000. The money was distributed via check or cash to Bonds' family, his personal trainer Greg Anderson (as much as $5,000 at a time) and others, according to Hoskins.
One of the recipients was Kimberly Bell, Bonds' girlfriend, who usually received $2,000 to $5,000 in cash. (She will testify later against Bonds, outlining his steroid use.) Another Bonds girlfriend, in New York, received similar amounts as Bell.
Hoskins said he traveled with Bonds for years. Often, Hoskins said he helped Bonds juggle his time at spring training in Arizona while Bonds' family and two girlfriends were in town at the same time.
Earlier Wednesday, Bonds' attorney, Allen Ruby, concluded his scorching cross-examination of Jeff Novitzky, the former IRS agent who spearheaded the BALCO investigation that culminated in Bonds' 2007 indictment.
In a battery of questions about Novitzky's interaction with future witnesses, including Hoskins, ex-San Francisco Giants trainer Stan Conte and Ting, attorney Ruby seemed to be laying a foundation of doubt about Novitzky's relationship with them and his methods in interviewing them.
Pressing the issue, Ruby called into question the handling of physical evidence and the procedure in which it was recorded.
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