“Hoskins, the government’s leadoff witness, testified that he had spent years trying to persuade Bonds to stop using steroids. As part of that effort, he said he talked frequently about Bonds and steroids to Ting, an orthopedist who performed eight operations on the former Giants star.
But when he testified Thursday, Ting flatly denied he had ever discussed Bonds’ alleged steroid use with Hoskins. The testimony undercut the testimony of Hoskins, a star government witness.” From the SF Chronicle.
This is hilarious. One legal fable is that you never ask a question when you don’t know the answer. But not to know what your witness is going to say about anything is absurd.
In a nutshell government witness Hoskins says he and Dr. Ting had long talks about Bonds and steroid use.Government witness Dr. Ting says he never talked to Hoskins.
Oops!
But the plot thickens as Hoskins has now announced he has a previously lost tape of his conversation with Dr. Ting.
So has the prosecution blundered or have they sandbagged the good doctor? But if that’s the case why call him in the first place.
Stay tuned.
