Gillooly said Harding told him to tear off the magazine's mailing label because it had their home address. [38][30] It was true that Steinbrenner had recently given Harding a $10,000 donation through the USFSA. "Tonya and Jeff remembered almost nothing the same way," Rogers said. "[60][61] Harding and Gillooly's separate lawyers confirmed the couple were in daily contact and cooperation with law enforcement. Eckardt had dropped out of high school and was currently enrolled in a paralegal course at Pioneer Pacific Collegethat is, when he wasn't running the grandly titled World Bodyguard Services from. The whole thing created such a stir that it became a national sensation, and Eckardt was a key figure throughout the whole investation. Harding said she protested that she wanted to win fairly, and asked them what they were talking about. [88][89] Harding was stripped of her 1994 U.S. Championship title and banned for life from participating in USFSA events as either skater or coach. After the meeting, he and Stant agreed not to injure Kerrigan "too badly. The incident ended in apologies and no criminal charges were filed. 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. He was 40. Figure Skating Championship had sports, sleaze and more. He was enrolled in the program for three years before being booted out in 1992. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. [30], On January 11, Ann Schatz interviewed Harding for KOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon. [38], On December 28, he and Stant were in Portland to discuss the attack plan. The group schedules a disciplinary hearing and gives Harding 30 days to respond to charges that she did something detrimental to the welfare of figure skating. They plead not guilty. Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He lived for more than a decade after the infamous attack plunged him into the headlines. Shane Stant was one of the most notorious figures in the 1990s because he was nabbed for being the actual attacker of Nancy Kerrigan. Eckardt then phoned him to say the plot involved making "an accident happen" to a skater, maybe cutting an Achilles tendon. Her friend Don Horn says, "She's always wanted a baby. Eckhardt was sentenced to 18 months in prison for racketeering but was released four months early in September. With no record of military service, Eckardt boasts that his skills include unconventional warfare, surveillance, psychological operations and something he calls the "Secret Service characteristics matrix for assassins." He claims to have worked as a counterintelligence specialist for a Swiss company 10 . His forte: counterterrorism. On December 31, Stant drove to Yarmouth, Massachusetts, reaching the Tony Kent Arena that afternoon. Or was he following the orders of others? He knew his nephew, Shane Stant, was currently unemployed so Smith told him about his conversation with Eckardt. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Brian Sean Griffith, the former bodyguard to Tonya Harding, has died. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, Jeff and Tonya's bodyguard at the time, Shawn Eckhardt, hired a man to attack Nancy apparently hoping to improve Tonya's chances at the Winter . According to authorities, Eckardt--who served as Harding's personal bodyguard--hatched a plot to attack Kerrigan. Gillooly stood in her view behind the camera during the interview. Gillooly said he felt "pretty good" about the meeting and thought Smith was competent. [38], According to Gillooly, as he was driving himself and Harding home, she asked if the meeting went well. Figure Skating Championship, Harding tells the press, "Let me tell you, I'm going to go there and kick some butt.". Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 2007, Eckardt passed away in Portland, Oregon, at just 40 years old. Phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. It could not be confirmed if Gillooly wrote the letter, however. Check social media profiles, resumes and CV, places of employment, photos and videos, news, public records, publications, skilled experts and arrest records . In July, Gillooly was sentenced to two years in prison after publicly apologizing to Kerrigan adding "any apology coming from me rings hollow. Shawn Eckhardt Found 11 people in Pennsylvania, Virginia and 12 other states. Figure Skating Association. [47] Smith returned to Arizona and was communicating separately with Stant and Eckardt by phone, while Eckardt reported back to Gillooly. "[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." He then told her, "I think we should go for it." [45][46] Smith was interested in the deal and agreed to drive to Portland with his nephew, Shane Stant, to meet with Eckardt and Gillooly. [36] Gillooly said he liked that idea. [15], On the afternoon of January 6, 1994, Kerrigan was practicing for the U.S. Championships on an ice rink inside Cobo Arena. [38], On January 22, 1994, Vera Marano was interviewed by the FBI. A judge places her on probation for three years and orders her to pay $160,000 in fines and contributions. But circulating through Portland under Gillooly's letterhead is an undated letter of recommendation for Eckardt. The events of the 1994 Winter Olympics which led to Tonya Harding's infamy introduced a colorful cast of characters to the world. Formerly Shawn Eckardt, Griffith served 14 months for his role in the 1994 attack on Harding's. Eckardt was flustered and said he did not know why. Gillooly's attorney, Ron Hoevet, accuses Harding of conspiracy and is roundly criticized by other attorneys. College lecturer. When asked about her finances, Harding said she had one bank account which was currently $109 overdrawn. 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. "But unless you really know him, you don't how deep that rabbit . 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. [78], On March 16, Harding pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution as a Class C felony offense at a Multnomah County court hearing. But . Lurking in the background was Harding's self-anointed "bodyguard," Shawn Eckardt, a slovenly fabulist. [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. [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. Harding, who finished eighth at the 94 Olympics, was the subject of intense media scrutiny during the event in Lillehammer because of the alleged plot by her husband. I, Tonya is an American biographical film directed by Craig Gillespie. Feb. 3, 1994: The trash found in the container reveals notes apparently written by Harding, including the telephone number of Kerrigan's practice arena. [50][30] The company claimed Smith was good at his work, remaining quiet and patient if a little anti-social. [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. This inspires Jeff Gillooly and Shawn Eckhardt (his friend, her "bodyguard") to plan their own attack. May 16, 1994: Eckardt pleads guilty to racketeering. [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. [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." If you or someone you know has been. "[30], When Derrick Smith was first interviewed by FBI on January 12, 1994, he held to the cover story that had been agreed upon with his co-conspirators until later in the day when he confessed to his part in the plot. Jan. 18, 1994: Harding separates from Gillooly after meeting with investigators for more than 10 hours. After the meeting, Gillooly left, returning that night to pay Eckardt in cash. But the life beefy bodyguard Shawn Eric Eckardt portrayed in a resume filled with misspellings and apparent misstatements is vastly different from the facts. The new Hollywood movie on the ice skating caper, the Fargo-esque and well-received I, Tonya is changing that. Nothing materializes. Arrested for their roles in the attack were Derrick Smith and Stant, two men who liked to set booby-traps and play war together on property they shared in Corbett, Ore. And there were tales of Eckardt trying to entice a fellow student, Russell "Rusty" Rietz, to "kill someone" in Detroit for $65,000. Shawn Eckardt on IMDb: Movies, Tv, Celebrities, and more. [35] He said that in early December 1993, Harding phoned him after the 1993 NHK Trophy competition and was upset about her placement. Harding then admitted that she had fired the gun and was worried about the publicity. Shawn Eric Eckardt (1967 - December 12 2007) was an American criminal who, while employed by figure skater Tonya Harding as a bodyguard in the early 1990s, conspired with Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and Shane Stant in the planning and execution of the assault on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan on January 6 1994. Shawn Eckhardt Clip Brooke Brown 5 subscribers Subscribe 308 Share 44K views 4 years ago A clip from the video Tanya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan video Show more Show more The Tonya Harding and. [38] He claimed that in mid-December, Gillooly approached him to ask if he knew anyone who could disable Kerrigan. Gillooly said he paid Eckardt while Harding was in another room having coffee with Eckardt's mother. Figure Skating Championships. Shawn Eckardt, 'I, Tonya' Image via NEON. It was 12.55am, Saturday 27 July 1996. Shawn Eckardt, the 300-pound would-be bodyguard of figure skater Tonya Harding, walked out of prison Friday morning in Salem, Ore., the last of those involved in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan to be . Jan. 27, 1994: Harding meets the press and reads a statement admitting she failed to report things she knew about the assault on Kerrigan. When he told her about their "money-back guarantee," Harding laughed out loud. [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. The attack benefited Harding as it allowed her to win the U.S. Championships with ease and could have benefited her if it had taken Kerrigan out of the Olympics. Feb. 11, 1994: A Clackamas County judge asks attorneys for the USOC and Harding to try to work out a compromise. He claimed that he then phoned Eckardt to cancel the deal. After Eckardt was shopped to the FBI by one of his friends, he implicated Gillooly who then agreed to testify against his own wife in exchange for a plea bargain effectively ending their troubled marriage. [30] Stant and his girlfriend also moved to Arizona along with Smith after once serving 15 days in jail for stealing cars. 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. But it is Eckardt who looms as a pivotal figure in the investigation. "That's news to me," said Joe Walther, the man who answered the phone listed in the letter. Jan. 4, 1994: On the way to Detroit for the U.S. Jan. 6, 1994: An assailant clubs Nancy Kerrigan, Harding's skating rival, on the right knee with a metal baton as she leaves skating practice in Detroit. According to him, she did phone the arena asking for Kerrigan's "patch and freestyle times," and phoned again for the address. Hood Community College, shared an interest in espionage and survivalism, and had discussed opening a school together someday. Stant, who was 22 years old at the time, was hired by Shawn Eckhardt, a close friend of Tonya Harding's then-husband, Jeff Gillooly. She said Harding then asked for the name of Kerrigan's training rink and also wanted to know if Kerrigan owned property in Cape Cod. [72], On February 1, 1994, Gillooly's attorney negotiated a plea agreement in exchange for testimony regarding all involved parties in the attack. Shawn later admits to Jeff that he was the one who called in the death threat on Tonya. Shawn Eckhardt in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1 (800) 799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org. It also dredged up a cast of characters far removed from the world of skating. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. She's the national champ. "[73][74] Gillooly and Eckardt pleaded guilty to racketeering, while Stant and Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree assault. 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. Tonya & Nancy: The Inside Story (TV Movie 1994) Dan Schneider as Shawn Eckhardt. It's been nearly 20 years since Kerrigan was clubbed after practice in Detroit by a member of a bumbling goon squad hired by Harding's ex-husband with the hope of eliminating his former wife's top competition for the U.S. Olympic team. 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