Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401200204
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From The Washington Post and The Associated Press
DATELINE: PORTLAND, ORE. LENGTH: Medium
According to the affidavit from Multnomah County Sheriff's Deputy James McNelly, Harding's bodyguard, Shawn Eric Eckardt, said Gillooly told him Harding made two telephone calls to the Tony Kent Arena in South Dennis, Mass., to try to determine Kerrigan's practice schedule.
The affidavit also said the alleged attacker, Shane Minoaka Stant, stalked Kerrigan in Boston before carrying out the attack in Detroit, and that telephone company records confirm calls were made from the home Harding and Gillooly share to the Boston-area arena. Eckardt, Stant and a third man, Derrick B. Smith, already have been charged in the case.
"Eckardt also said Gillooly told him that Harding was concerned about having made these phone calls and had stated that in the event she was ever questioned about them, she would say she had made those calls in an effort to get Kerrigan to sign a poster for a fan of Harding's," the affidavit states.
Harding, 23, has not been charged in the attack and has denied any involvement. But authorities have not cleared her of possible criminal charges.
"Tonya categorically denies those allegations," said her attorney, Dennis Rawlinson. "We note that none of the comments are directly attributable to Tonya. We believe Mr. Eckardt's lack of credibility is already well-documented."
Gillooly, who has denied involvement in the case, surrendered at the FBI office in downtown Portland shortly after the warrant was issued. He was released after posting 10 percent of a $20,000 bond.
Although they were officially divorced in August, Harding and Gillooly had reconciled by the time the divorce papers were final and had been living together for months.
During 10 1/2 hours of questioning Tuesday by law enforcement authorities, Harding issued a statement saying she was separating from Gillooly again, but still believed he was innocent.
U.S. Olympic officials said Harding could be dropped from the team going to the Winter Games in Norway next month if she was involved in the Kerrigan attack.
Figure skating officials will vote next week on whether to keep Harding on the U.S team. She can be removed by a majority vote but will have the right to appeal to the U.S. Olympic Committee and take legal action to retain her spot.
940120 SKATE STORY #22119 TOPIC 1- SUB KEYWORD DESK AUTHOR:APX430301/20/94 wayne/ BC-skate 01-19 0875 job 160 APDF 1/19/94 22:01:30 1- sub A-1 Kerrigan Attack headline byline
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