Barry Bonds Seeks Exclusion of Recording from Trial

SAN FRANCISCO – Barry Bonds’ attorney is asking a judge to
prohibit recordings of a conversation between his business partner
and personal trainer from being played during the former player’s
perjury trial set for March 21.

The recording was made in March 2003 when business partner
Stevie Hoskins and trainer Greg Anderson appeared to discuss
steroids and needles. Hoskins secretly recorded the conversation
and turned it over to federal investigators.

On Friday, Bonds’ attorney will ask U.S. District Judge Susan
Illston to prohibit the recording from being played.

Prosecutors want the jury to hear the tape to bolster their case
that alleges Bonds lied to a federal grand jury when he denied
knowingly taking performance enhancing drugs.

A ruling for Bonds would be another blow to the prosecution. On
Thursday, the government pared down the number of charges from 11
to five.