Kerrigan Attacker Tries To Get Clear Record, Become Navy Seal

KOIN News 6 ^ | 12/1/2005 | Drew Mikkelsen

[DuckFan4ever]

PORTLAND --New developments in the Tonya Harding ice skating scandal.

Shane Stant, the man who hit Nancy Kerrigan in the knee, appeared in a Portland courtroom Thursday, trying to clear his record so he can become a Navy Seal. Stant doesn't have the name or face recognition as the other players in the infamous scandal do, but he is the one who attacked Kerrigan and when she heard he was trying to clear his name Thursday, she fought back.

What started as a surprise attack on a star skater became one of the more memorable news stories of the 1990s.

It turned out to be a plot involving Kerrigan's rival, Portland skater Tonya Harding, her husband Jeff Gillooly, her bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt and an Arizona bounty hunter named Shane Stant.

Stant confessed to hitting Kerrigan with a metal baton and pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy charge. A Multnomah county judge sentenced him to a year and a half in prison.

Eleven years later Stant was back in court trying to get that felony off his record, making him eligible to be a Navy Seal.

"I feel like this is something I really want to do. I want to serve my country," Stant said.

Prosecutors argued Stant's crime isn't the kind that can be erased from someone's record. And Kerrigan had something to say about his request.

In a letter she said it would be "unfair" if Stant's felony charge was "swept under the carpet" because she wrote, "…the attack by Mr. Stant and his cohorts remains something that I must live with on a regular basis."

The judge denied Stant's request.

"We all make mistakes. We make bad decisions," Stant said.

A disappointed Stant says it's unfortunate he's still paying for his 1994 crime.

"I think people should have a chance to redeem themselves. You make a mistake, you can't be held down. There really aren't a lot of opportunities for ex-felons," Stant said.

And while what he did still haunts him, he admits it also has helped.

"When you're open to doing something like I've done, it means your open to other things. I'm really lucky I'm not in prison. I'm lucky I'm not dead. I'm really blessed in that way. I've learned a lot from that. I'm a wiser man today than I was yesterday. I'm trying to use it the best I can," Stant said.

Stant told us he lives in southern California and works in sales. Since that 1994 arrest, he has not been in trouble and says he doesn't keep in touch with any of the people from his past.

[Guyin4Os]

I kinda have some sympathy for this guy. If he really is following the law and wants to serve his country, a second chance doesn't sound unreasonable

He doesn't need to be a SEAL to serve his country. He can enlist like everyone else.

[vrwc0915]

"Take me to the Brig. I want to see the "real Marines".

All joking aside, I don't see why someone who has screwed up once years ago and had no more problems can't enlist as a MOS not specified and prove themselves. There is no probation officer anywhere in the US that can provide the level of supervision and building of values and respect (self and others) than the staff at MCRD. This dude will never be a SEAL, I think the problem here is that Latenberg amendment, since he was convicted of assault he is barred form possessing a weapon and the service dosen't have much use for you if you can't pick up a weapon. These days moving a pile of dirt on your own land is a felony if you don't get the corps of engineers blessing so the pool of recruits is shrinking while the need is growing

[Hildy]

Isn't he a tad old to be a Navy Seal?

[LK44-40]

...should this guy have gotten te death penalty for assaulting Kerrigan?

That wouldn't be a bad idea. No....I didn't mean that. He's scarin' me...

[doug from upland]

Tonya Harding's attorney, William Markham, said the hot sauce label's spoof defames Harding. "Tonya has been punished more than enough for what she did or didn't do," Markham said. John Farmer, whose PDX Hot Lix company makes the 5-ounce bottles of hot sauce, told The Associated Press on Oct. 31 that he'll continue to supply retailers willing to carry the product until Harding sues. "I've sold maybe 2,000-2,500 bottles," he said. "When she does something really stupid, I sell extra cases of it."

[MissouriConservative]

As long as Osama is wearing ice skates and a little pink skirt, this is the guy to send after him. Arming him is going to be cheap....just give him a lead pipe.

[RaceBannon]

oh, good grief, is thqat what she looks like now??

I used to think she was at least cute!

[Beckwith]

I tried to determine if this guy was a civilian hoping to enlist for the SEALs or an in-service sailor, on active duty.

If he is on his second tour, with no record of discipline, sure, give the guy a shot.

If he's a civilian and is using this ploy to get his record sealed, screw him. You can't enlist for the SEALs.

[Raycpa]

God believes sinners can be redeemed, yet many Freepers know that God is wrong.

[dsc]

"Try the veal."

Paging Dr. Schott, Dr. Rim Schott.

[dsc]

"Well, he wasn't exactly a shy about it. Not the sort of thing you'd make up and bandy about unless you were daft."

Sounds like there are all sorts of reasons that this guy shouldn't be in uniform.

[sargunner]

"It's a lead pipe cinch"


Nice touch Travis. LOL

[coloradan]

Agencies like the FBI, DEA, or the BATFE could probably use a thug like him. "Hit a skater with a pipe? Heck, we gas and burn children to death."

[MineralMan]

Yeah, right. The Seals are looking for guys who whack female ice skaters with pipes. I'm sure....

Tough nuts to this guy. He did something wrong and got convicted for it. Had he not done the act, he would not have this problem, would he?

[Travis McGee]

Yeah, if the BUD/S instructors are giving him a bad time, he can just wait until they are leaving for the day, ambush them on the parking lot, and whack them in the knee with a lead pipe.

I'm sure that would be effective.

[sargunner]

Unfortunately he would have to wait to catch them in the parking lot on skates wearing a tutu. I don't know about you Trav, but most of the SEALS I've known don't have the gams to pull off the tutu look.


Take care

[Travis McGee]

Yeah, SEAL instructors might be a little tougher to ambush than a female figure skater.

[DuckFan4ever]

God believes sinners can be redeemed, yet many Freepers know that God is wrong.

Thank you for that voice of reason. I bet if you took a close look at the lives of many of the freepers they would not want to be held accountable to everything they did in their late teens/early twenties. Many of us are just lucky to have survived that time in our lives.

[chae]

He believes the only problem with the death penalty is that it's not used often or quick enough,so I'm making progress

[chae]

He is going to be applying for a concealed carry permit, and believes the only problem with the death penalty is that it's not used enough, so I'm making progress.