Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 14, 1994 TAG: 9401140242
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PORTLAND, ORE. LENGTH: Medium
The bodyguard, Shawn Eric Eckardt, 26, and Derrick Brian Smith, 29, were arrested in Portland, said Michael Schrunk, Multnomah County district attorney.
Smith, a former resident of Portland, moved to Phoenix about five months ago, Schrunk said.
The charge of conspiracy to commit assault is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The arrests were announced after two days of confusion and speculation over the role of Harding and her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, in the Jan. 6 attack that left Kerrigan unable to compete in last week's U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Harding won the championships, qualifying for the Olympic team. Kerrigan was also named to the team even though her injury forced her to withdraw from the competition. But the injury raised doubts about her ability to compete in the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Feb. 12-27.
Eckardt told authorities that Gillooly, from whom Harding was divorced last year, asked him to arrange the attack, The Oregonian newspaper reported Thursday, citing unidentified law enforcement sources.
Harding, 23, and Gillooly were divorced Aug. 28, but later reconciled and have lived together since October.
There was no indication that Harding was involved in planning the attack, authorities said, despite a report by Boston TV station WCVB that a sealed warrant contained her name.
NBC News on Wednesday quoted sources as saying that after the men met in Portland, the hit man went to Boston, where Kerrigan lives and trains. It was there the investigators believe he planned to attack Kerrigan, but bad weather somehow fouled the attempt, NBC said.
Detroit police said Thursday they had recovered a collapsible metal baton, believed to be the weapon. A Detroit resident found it in a trash can behind the arena, police said.
Monday, before specific allegations surfaced, Harding, Gillooly and Eckardt denied any involvement in the attack.
In Detroit earlier Thursday, Deputy Police Chief Benny Napoleon said a woman from out of state called the Police Department on Saturday and insisted on speaking with him.
"She indicated to me that she heard a conversation regarding the planned assault on Nancy Kerrigan" several months ago, Napoleon said. "She put it off as somebody talking. Once the assault occurred, she became frightened. She wanted to make sure the people responsible were apprehended."
Napoleon said the woman identified about four people, and he passed the names along to the FBI.
Kerrigan's injured right knee showed improvement Thursday after two days of physical therapy, according to Dr. Mahlon Bradley. He was quoted by ProServ, the agency representing Kerrigan, as saying that the skater "is progressing well."
by CNB