Former Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding is opening up up about her relationship with her mother, her notorious past and her reaction to the new film about her life, I, Tonya, in a interview with. Feb. 11, 1994: A Clackamas County judge asks attorneys for the USOC and Harding to try to work out a compromise. Jan. 12, 1994: Eckardt confesses to the FBI, implicating Harding, Gillooly, and two of Eckardt's friends, Stant and Derrick B. Smith. But the life beefy bodyguard Shawn Eric Eckardt portrayed in a resume filled with misspellings and apparent misstatements is vastly different from the facts. I don't want to lose him. But both reportedly have been implicated by confessions made by Eckardt and Shane Stant, the alleged hit man. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Everything You Need To Know About 'Mean Girls: The Musical', Amanda Seyfried Has Made Her Pick For Sophies Biological Dad In 'Mamma Mia', Shakira & Karol G's "TQG" Music Video Uses A Classic '90s Movie To Make A Point, Keke Palmer's Boyfriend Darius Jackson Just Added "DAD" To His Instagram Bio, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. Six months after the attack Harding was stripped of her titles and banned from US figure skating for life. Harding replied, "I have definitely thought about it." In 1993, Eckardt was enrolled in a paralegal course at Pioneer Pacific College and trying to build a business called World Bodyguard Services. Jan. 4, 1994: On the way to Detroit for the U.S. His lawyer told the judge that Stant had lived a law-abiding life since leaving prison and needed a break to achieve his dream of joining the SEALs.. Barack Obama referenced the attack while giving a speech in 2007 in Iowa during his run in the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, stating "Folks said there's no way Obama has a chance unless he goes and kneecaps the person ahead of us, does a Tonya Harding. L And "extremely adaptable in a rapidly changing environment.". [15], On the afternoon of January 6, 1994, Kerrigan was practicing for the U.S. Championships on an ice rink inside Cobo Arena. Here, Kerrigan exclaimed the now-famous line, "Why? Not bad for someone who would have been 16 years old at the time of his hiring. The indictment concluded more than two months of investigation and witness testimonies from Diane Rawlinson; Harding's choreographer Erika Bakacs; freelance figure skating writer Vera Marano; and Eckardt's college instructor and classmates. He received his own credit card from an evening mail delivery the next day. All together, it makes for a fascinating look at some of the early '90s' most intriguing people, from Eckardt to Harding herself. Gillooly claimed that when he told Harding about plotting to injure Kerrigan, she thought it was "a good idea. [6][7] Law enforcement investigators had been following and videotaping the co-conspirators since January 10, and knew about the payphone calls. He said he was also upset for her and later spoke about figure skating politics to his friend Shawn Eckardt. . Gillooly said that Harding had been moving her possessions into his truck when they started an argument over his former girlfriend; he declined to press charges. "), Feb. 19, 2011: Harding gives birth to a baby boy. [38] He claimed that in mid-December, Gillooly approached him to ask if he knew anyone who could disable Kerrigan. [51] He quit that job in late 1993 and moved to Arizona with his wife. Formerly Shawn Eckardt, Griffith had changed his name since the attack. "[22] In summer 1991, she became engaged to mechanical engineer Mike Pliska. As Tonya grows up, her parents take her out of school to focus on her skating career, and she trains under coach . [49] He had met Eckardt when they were students at Mt. Looking for Shawn Eckhardt? Claims surface that Gillooly threatened Harding on several occasions during their marriage. "He has been portrayed as a mastermind to a hit man plot, as a monstrous chap who would go out and cause physical injury to a young Miss Kerrigan," Mark McKnight said. According to him, she knew about the meeting and was anxious about Gillooly talking to dangerous people. The interview ended with Harding saying, "No one controls my life but meif there's something in there that I don't like, I'm going to change it. Those involved dream it might make it to Broadway one day. Jan. 26-27, 1994: Gillooly confesses to the FBI, implicating himself, Harding, Eckardt, Smith and Stant. The USFSA has no dominion over professional skating events, yet Harding was also persona non grata on the pro circuit. That January, an assailant clubbed Kerrigan in the knee, forcing her out of the competition. Counter-terrorist specialist. Eckardt and Harding's . Figure Skating Championships. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. "[21], Harding later claimed she was the victim of acquaintance rape sometime during her separation from Gillooly in 1991, "by a friend of mine, who I knew for eight years. "Despite my mistakes and rough edges," she says, "I have done nothing to violate the standards of excellence in sportsmanship that are expected in an Olympic athlete." [38], On January 22, 1994, Vera Marano was interviewed by the FBI. [87] On June 30, chairman William Hybl stated, The panel decided that pertinent FBI reports, court documents, and Harding's March 16 plea agreement presented, Harding chose neither to attend nor participate in the two-day hearing. On January 6, 1994, Nancy Kerrigan was attacked after practice at the Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan, in what would become one of the biggest sports scandals in history. Jan. 27, 1994: Harding meets the press and reads a statement admitting she failed to report things she knew about the assault on Kerrigan. They plead not guilty. The popularity rank for the name Shana was 3820 in the US in 2020, the Social Security Administration's data shows . Stant returns to Portland to face charges in the attack on Kerrigan. Executive security consultant. As you can tell, each relationship featured I, Tonya, is fraught with built-up animosity. May 16, 1994: Eckardt pleads guilty to racketeering. [62] On January 15, Harding and Gillooly spoke with reporters, but declined to comment about the investigation. Kerrigan was then carried away to a changing room by her father. Brian Sean Griffith. [90], The attack and the scandal surrounding it were depicted in the 2017 film I, Tonya, with Margot Robbie portraying Harding, Ricky Russert portraying Stant, and Caitlin Carver portraying Kerrigan. [52] During the meeting, he thought Eckardt was leading Gillooly to think he had many "underground" contacts. [30] He then worked in Milwaukie, Oregon as a group home coordinator for Developmental Systems Inc., a company that employed and trained mentally retarded adults to sort laundry hangers. The grand jury foreman said the evidence implied Harding as "involved from the beginning or very close." Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events The now 47-year-old says she overheard her then-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard Shawn Eckardt talking about attacking one of her competitors. [63] On January 16, Harding's lawyer held a news conference in which he read a statement denying Harding's involvement in the attack on Kerrigan. Shawn Eckardt, 'I, Tonya' Image via NEON. As Rogers wrote in the LA Times, Gillooly and Harding had different ideas about how everything went down. 1940) and Albert Harding (1933-2009). Eckardt did not know where exactly Stant was and told Gillooly that Smith needed more money. They drove to Eckardt's home that night with the photos, practice times, and $2,700 in cash. Harding thumps her and dollar signs flash in boxing promoters' eyes. ', "Indictment says Harding involved in Kerrigan plot", "USFSA's decision regarding Tonya Harding", "Harding Stripped of Title; Banned for Life", "Injured Kerrigan Withdraws From Olympic Trials", "Who is Tonya Harding's former bodyguard Shawn Eckardt? [38] He said the message was difficult to understand, it sounded like "Tunee Can." Few skaters and promoters would work with her, and she did not benefit from the ensuing boom in professional skating after the scandal. Ten days later, Harding's lawyer asked the restraining order to be lifted because the couple again wished to reconcile. Kerrigan was the American sweetheart who was one of her main competitors on Olympic ice. According to authorities, Eckardt--who served as Harding's personal bodyguard--hatched a plot to attack Kerrigan. His resume says he worked in New Zealand and has been schooled at an elite executive protection academy in Aspen, Colo. From 1984 until 1988, the resume says Eckardt worked as a "contract specialists officer" for The Blackstone Corp in Laussane, Switzerland. To his attorney, Eckardt "wasn't smart enough" to plot the clubbing of Kerrigan. The events -- and the ramshackle cast or characters behind them -- fascinated and disturbed Portlanders and the nation. Kerrigan's injury forces her to drop out of the competition, which Harding wins. Check places of employment, resumes and CV, photos and videos, public records, social media profiles, work history, skilled experts, arrest records and publications . Had social media been born back then, Portland would have been the center of the Twitterverse. "[21] On June 17, 1991, Harding filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. In 2018, she said she had prior knowledge of Gillooly and Eckardt discussing "[taking] out" one of her competitors in late 1993. Eckardt then offered more money than Gillooly stated and said more bodyguard work would follow. Speaking on ABCs Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding Story, the shamed athlete said she heard a conversation between her husband and Eckardt who she described as dumb as a post.. He later gave the money to Smith who then drove Stant to the Seattle airport so Stant could fly to Boston. Figure Skating Association. On January 6, 1994, Nancy Kerrigan, an American figure skater, was struck on the lower right thigh with a telescopic baton by assailant Shane Stant as she walked down a corridor in Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan. After the meeting, he and Stant agreed not to injure Kerrigan "too badly. Feb. 22, 2008: Don Horn of Portland's Triangle Productions believes he and his crew can improve upon the original and they open a three-week run of "Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera" at the World Trade Center Auditorium. Accounts of Stants personal rehabilitation can be read in letters of recommendation he filed with a court in Oregon when he tried to have his conviction in the Kerrigan assault expunged. When Kerrigan hosted Saturday Night Live in 1994 after the Winter Olympics in which the figure skater ended up winning the silver medal Chris Farley and Rob Schneider parodied Eckardt and Gillooly, respectively. Each juicy tidbit made headlines and newscasts. Olympian resigns", "Harding found guilty of hindering investigation", "Records indicate Harding lied about phone calls", "Harding stripped of title; banned for life", "Review: 'I, Tonya.' Eckardt replied that Smith was already driving to Portland and that he needed more information about Kerrigan a photograph and the location of the ice rink where she practiced. Jan. 10, 1994: Harding returns to Portland escorted by Shawn E. Eckardt, her bodyguard. Near the center of the story is Eckardt, a man who portrays himself a security expert. He remembered Harding briefly talking to him and Eckardt saying Kerrigan's photo was "flattering." Simpson led police on the most-watched car chase in history. 12 Dec 2007 (aged 40) Burial. Harding then admitted that she had fired the gun and was worried about the publicity. Schatz asked Harding whether someone she knew could have planned the attack. And you get a peek," says Hauser, 31. Feb. 25, 1994: Kerrigan wins the Olympic silver medal in Norway while Harding, still under investigation by Oregon authorities, finishes eighth. The attack was intended to prevent Kerrigan from taking part in the ongoing 1994 United States Figure Skating Championships and the forthcoming Winter Olympics, thus increasing the prospects of Harding in both figure skating events. A judge places her on probation for three years and orders her to pay $160,000 in fines and contributions. As the new movie I, Tonya depicts, he and Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, became suspects for the crime, and they both pleaded guilty to racketeering in their attempts to harm Kerrigan. A disagreement between Harding and some officers of the fan club over disbursement of the money in the fan club account had flared on several occasions, including once at the bank where the account is based. Hi, I'm Shawn Eckardt and I'm born and raised in Montauk New York. Formerly Shawn Eckardt, Griffith had changed his name since the attack in an attempt to put it behind him. [16] Stant stated in a 2018 interview that he was standing "about a foot and a half" (around half a meter) behind the camera crew and waited for them to stop filming before he followed Kerrigan through the curtain. [36] Gillooly said he liked that idea. Eckardt was flustered and said he did not know why. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "I'm just a simple buyer," he said. Dec. 24, 1994: Harding skates as Mrs. Santa Claus at Clackamas Town Center during her first public skating performance since the Olympics. Smith was waiting in a car outside and acted as a getaway driver. [30] Marano then called a USFSA contact to find the name of the rink and left a message on Harding and Gillooly's answering machine. DISGRACED figure skater Tonya Skater has finally admitted that she knew about the plot to break the leg of her Olympic rival in 1994. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Skater Tonya Harding has finally admitted she knew about the plot to injure her rival, Tonya Harding, left, skates past compatriot Nancy Kerrigan during a practice session at the Olympic Games in Norway in 1994, The athlete eventually finished in eighth place at the '94 Games and was later banned for life from US figure skating, Harding's former husband Jeff Gillooly, right, attends his arraignment hearing January 19, 1994, flanked by attorney Ronald H. Hoevet, Margot Robbie. Kerrigan was hit on the knee in January 1994 during the US Olympic Trials. Eckhardt was sentenced to 18 months in prison for racketeering but was released four months early in September. . Before the Olympics, a man emerged from the shadows and struck her in the knee, leading to Kerrigans famous and plaintive cry: Why? He allegedly hired two men, 29-year-old Derrick Smith and his nephew Shane Stant,. The incident ended in apologies and no criminal charges were filed. Jan. 14, 1994: Stant surrenders to the FBI in Phoenix, Ariz., and is charged with conspiring to assault Kerrigan. Gillooly said Harding told him to tear off the magazine's mailing label because it had their home address. Harding hired Eckardt as her bodyguard because his resume indicated he was an expert in counterin-telligence and international terrorism, graduated from an Her plea admissions were knowing of the assault plot after the fact, settling on a cover story with Gillooly and Eckardt on January 10, witnessing payphone calls to Smith affirming the story on January 10 and 11, and lying to FBI. The 47-year-old, who has now remarried, claims she thought her former spouse Gillooly would kill her many times.. April 30, 1994: The NBC docudrama "Tonya and Nancy: The Inside Story" debuts to lukewarm ratings. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Tonya Harding prepared Monday for her first questioning by the district attorney amid reports that her ex-husband was about to be arrested and that funds from the U.S. The New York Times, which announced his death, called him Brian Sean Griffith, which Eckardt. /tristate/2021/07/23/caught-in-a-lie-nest-seekers-50m-amagansett-listing-sold-for-16-5m At the time, many saw Harding's meltdown as karma: She was competing at the Olympics despite having maybe, possibly helped her ex-husband (Jeff Gillooly) and bodyguard (Shawn Eckhardt) plan an. "[39][38], Smith and his nephew, Shane Stant, arrived in Portland on December 27, drove to Eckardt's home, and asked for a meeting with Gillooly tomorrow at 10 a.m. Gillooly said Harding would be training at that time, but he agreed to meet them. Other networks decide to pass on producing more made-for-television films on the subject. [38], He arrived at 11 a.m. to the meeting held at Eckardt's home office, knocking on the door with Stant letting him in. Harding continues training for the Olympics. Harding will skate in the Olympics. July 25, 1995: Derrick Smith, who drove the getaway car in the attack, leaves the South Fork Forest prison camp near the Oregon Coast after serving 18 months. Stant said it was "a pleasure" to meet Gillooly, then remained silent. [38], On December 29, 1993, Stant agreed to execute the plot and took a flight to Boston, yet discovered he could not rent a car with his girlfriend's credit card. They later exchanged phone numbers and went out to the movies, chaperoned by her father. Sept. 22, 1995: Shawn Eckardt gets out of the Oregon State Penitentiary 109 days early for good behavior; he was to have served 18 months for his part in planning the attack. I knew something was up, confessed Harding, who still insists she had no role in the vicious attack. He ended their engagement after he saw Harding disrespecting people and giving her phone number to another man. Simpson's girlfriend." [47] Smith returned to Arizona and was communicating separately with Stant and Eckardt by phone, while Eckardt reported back to Gillooly. [57] On January 13, Eckardt and Smith were arrested. [77] Eckardt died in 2007. He had known Gillooly since they were in the first grade at school. According to The New York Times, Gillooly was sentence to a two-year term, while Eckardt had an 18-month sentencing. Hoevet added that Eckardt was paid $3,500 by the Harding camp to provide security as the skater arrived at Portland International Airport, and accompany her on a planned trip to last week's pre-Olympic skating exhibition in Fairfax, Va. We pay for your stories! I, Tonya is an American biographical film directed by Craig Gillespie. [38], On December 28, as the men were waiting for Gillooly to arrive at his office, Smith persuaded Eckardt to tape record the meeting to use as "leverage." Figure Skating Association meets to discuss allegations against Harding. A Resume Filled With. Burial Details Unknown. Eckardt says Gillooly hatched the plot. Feb. 1997: During a two-minute performance preceding a Reno Renegades hockey game, Harding is subjected to booing, catcalls, and thrown batons. He then told her, "I think we should go for it." PORTLAND, ORE. PORTLAND, Ore. -- It is a resume that even James Bond would envy. The interview with Diane Sawyer from 1994 is as weird as you'd expect, with Sawyer explaining to viewers that, "Eckhardt has a rsum that makes him out to be a cross between James Bond and. Shane Stant, the hit man who was hired to attack Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan with a collapsible baton 24 years ago, has told Inside Edition exclusively that he is regretful for the act. As Bender attempts to sabotage her performance by filling her tap shoes with tacks in the locker room, Tonya catches him in the act, and breaks his leg with a nightstick in a similar manner to the attack on Kerrigan. "I know Eric. "It makes you . Feb. 1, 1994: Gillooly pleads guilty to racketeering in exchange for a 24-month sentence. In the Attack on Olympic Skater", "Gillooly Pleads Guilty, Says Harding Approved Plot", "Harding's ex-husband says she helped to plan attack Attorney: 'What Did Tonya Know And When? [30] Eckardt suggested cutting Kerrigan's Achilles tendon, using a beater car to run her off the road, or "just kill her," but those ideas were opposed. [43], On December 22, 1993, Eckardt received a call from his friend Derrick Smith who lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Eckhardt contacted Smith, who hired his nephew Shane Stant as Kerrigan's hit man. June 30, 1994: Harding is stripped of her 1994 national figure skating title and banned for life from the U.S. When asked about Gillooly, Harding said: "I never did anything to hurt . Harding initially denied all knowledge of the attack,[4][5] but soon accepted a plea agreement admitting to helping cover up the attack after the fact. 1476 (D. Or. And I don't know of any major newspaper that wouldn't have wanted the first interview with (Harding "hit man"') Shawn Eckardt or O.J. Griffith died . On December 31, Stant drove to Yarmouth, Massachusetts, reaching the Tony Kent Arena that afternoon. [11] The Winter Olympics were also set to take place in February, where Kerrigan and Harding were likely to be the two female figure skaters representing the United States. Still, the movie's screenwriter, Steven Rogers, made sure to interview Gillooly and others so as not to only get Harding's side of the story. [13] Derrick Smith, an associate of Eckardt, was paid $6,500 to carry out the attack; Eckardt had received the money from Gillooly. Jan. 11, 1994: The FBI begins investigating an allegation that Eckardt and Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, orchestrated the attack on Kerrigan. "[27] That summer, a man from Harding's gym claimed to The Oregonian that Harding offered to pay him to "take care" of Gillooly, "slap him around a little." Eckardt then phoned him to say the plot involved making "an accident happen" to a skater, maybe cutting an Achilles tendon. In 1970s Portland, Oregon, four year-old Tonya Harding is forced to ice skate by her abusive mother, LaVona. The story that emerged after her rival, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, was assaulted at the U.S. The latter was released four months early, in September 1995, and he went on to open up a computer business in 2001, according to The New York Times. He is a 26-year-old, 300-pound college student who works out of his parent's home and drives a 1976 Mercury with a missing hubcap. Formerly Shawn Eckardt, Griffith served 14 months for his role in the 1994 attack on Harding's. Eckardt, one of three men arrested on second-degree felony charges last week, has confessed his role to authorities. Shane Stant was one of the most notorious figures in the 1990s because he was nabbed for being the actual attacker of Nancy Kerrigan. Just six years later in Dec. 2007, Eckardt passed away in Portland, Oregon, at just 40 years old. Why? That man was Shane Stant. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. SHAWN ECKARDT As the owner of World Bodyguard Services, Eckardt boasted of private investigation work in Costa Rica, demolishing Peruvian pipelines and guarding celebrities. Harding spoke about the moment she realised the American people were going to find out the truth behind the attack. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). ". [38], Gillooly testified that by January 1994, he and Harding were upset that the plot had apparently failed. Birth. An excellent example of resume fraud is the bizarre 1994 assault against figure skater Nancy Kerrigan arranged by Shawn Eckardt, the bodyguard of Kerrigan's skating rival Tonya Harding. Griffith was Harding's bodyguard when she competed for a spot on the United States Olympic figure skating team in 1994. "He can talk the talk. July 13, 1994: Gillooly is sentenced to two years in jail and fined $100,000 for racketeering. [58][59] On January 14, the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) made a statement on whether Eckardt's arrest affected Harding's Olympic placement: "We will deal only with the facts. Weaver said the decision disappointed her but was not a surprise, and that she had not decided on an appeal. Her main rival in that tournament was Tonya Harding. She's a redneck, but she's my redneck. Multnomah County authorities arrest Eckardt and Smith, charging them with conspiracy to commit second-degree assault. And there is no listing of a Blackstone Corp. in Switzerland. June 23, 2010: Harding, 39, marries, Joseph Jens Price, 42, in Clark County, Wash. (She later told Inside Edition it was she who proposed: "It was at his birthday party. And now, the man who provided security for Tonya Harding when she returned home in triumph from the U.S. figure skating championships has emerged as a key player in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. Oct. 1997: Harding's pickup is apparently stolen from the Vancouver Mall parking lot. [23] On October 2, at approximately 3 a.m., neighbours of the couple called the police when they heard them arguing outside and a single gunshot. Harding was a powerfully athletic figure skater who was able to complete the triple axel but came from the other side of the tracks. But my life was in shambles.. Harding loses her sweaty, sloppy match by split decision. Stant said he became a Christian and turned his life around. The networks and national press go gaga. Death. May 2006: A writer and composer collaborate to craft "Tonya & Nancy: The Opera," and it makes its debut at Zero Arrow Theatre in Cambridge, Mass.
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