In a much anticipated testimony, Barry Bonds former mistress, Kimberly Bell, took the stand for the prosecution to testify at the slugger’s perjury trial. Bell is said to have been Bonds’ girlfriend between 1994 and 2003.

According to reports coming from within the courtroom, Bell was methodically taken through her time with Bonds from their first meeting in the parking lot of the Giants’ stadium through his two marriages and one divorce.

Bell said Bonds admitted using steroids around 1999-2000 but it wasn’t an announcement as much as it was him answering a question about why he had a large bump on his elbow. She also told the court that Bonds said his steroid use was to get ahead and to keep up with others who were using. Bell said she never saw Bonds inject himself with any substances but she was witness on a regular basis to the slugger and his trainer, Greg Anderson, going into a room with Anderson carrying a black bag the size of a man’s shaving kit.

Steve Hoskins testified last week to seeing the same scenario during several Spring Training camps. Bell supported that claim saying when she stayed with Bonds during the spring she saw the same scene.

Bonds gave Bell money throughout the nine years they were together and according to the mistress, promised more. She said he funneled enough to her for a substantial down payment on a house in Arizona then later said he would pay it off but that never happened. Bell later fel on hard times then Bonds pulled away. Bell was employed while she lived in the Bay Area but was unable to latch onto an employment opportunity in Arizona.

After her break up with Bonds, Bell agreed to pose for Playboy. After being promised $100,000 in a fee by a photographer, she received less than $20,000 and the photographer who agreed to the initial payment committed suicide.

Is jail a real possibility if Bonds is convicted?

Bell’s most emotional testimony came when she talked about Bonds’ mood swings and she accused him of getting verbally abusive and disrespectful to her. She also described the physical changes to Bonds’ body and how he was concerned people would notice he was bloated. When he started losing his hair, he shaved his head and when his chest hair went grey, he shaved that too. Bonds also had acne on his back and shoulders and his testicles got smaller and odd-shaped, according to her testimony. She also said he had erection problems that necessitated medication, making sex more difficult.

Defense attorneys were ready to take their turn at Bell after their morning break. Check back here or go to my Examiner column for updates on that testimony.

Used with permission of the author.

Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC