Editing Tonya Harding (section)

=== Guilty plea, admissions ===

On March 9, 1994, Judge [[Owen M. Panner|Owen Panner]] granted Harding a requested stay until June on her disciplinary hearing.<ref name="USFSA decision">{{cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/210813255/USFSA-s-decision-regarding-Tonya-Harding |title=USFSA's decision regarding Tonya Harding |website=[[Scribd]] |date=June 30, 1994 |access-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105031817/https://www.scribd.com/doc/210813255/USFSA-s-decision-regarding-Tonya-Harding |archive-date=November 5, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/03/22/jury-harding-in-on-plot/966b6613-14e9-4fcd-a2fc-c585deb3f4fc/|title=Jury: Harding in on Plot|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|first=Johnette|last=Howard|date=March 22, 1994|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901215908/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/03/22/jury-harding-in-on-plot/966b6613-14e9-4fcd-a2fc-c585deb3f4fc/|archive-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/11/sports/a-clear-path-for-harding.html|title=Clear Path for Harding|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 11, 1994|access-date=July 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721132744/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/11/sports/a-clear-path-for-harding.html|archive-date=July 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Meanwhile, Portland authorities stated the criminal investigation would conclude by March 21, with any [[indictment]]s and a [[Grand juries in the United States|grand jury]] report to be made at that time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_021594.htm|title=Thousands Watch Harding's Final Portland Workout|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|first=Christine|last=Spolar|date=February 15, 1994|access-date=July 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721132724/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_021594.htm|archive-date=July 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 16, 1994, Harding pled guilty to [[Obstruction of justice|conspiracy to hinder prosecution]] as a [[Classes of offenses under United States federal law|Class C felony offense]] at a [[Multnomah County]] court hearing. She and her lawyer, Robert Weaver, negotiated a [[plea bargain]] ensuring no further prosecution.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_031794.htm|title=Harding Admits Guilt in Plea Bargain, Avoids Prison|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|first=Johnette|last=Howard|date=March 17, 1994|access-date=July 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630152531/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_031794.htm|archive-date=June 30, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Judge Donald Londer conducted routine questioning to make certain Harding understood her agreement, that she was entering her plea "knowingly and voluntarily." Harding told Londer she was. 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 pay phone calls to Smith affirming the story on January 10 and 11; and lying to FBI with the story on January 18.<ref name="oregonlive.com"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_020294.htm|title=Gillooly Pleads Guilty, Says Harding Approved Plot|last=Buckley|first=Stephen|date=February 2, 1994|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715161227/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_020294.htm|archive-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="articles.orlandosentinel.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1994-02-02-9402020823-story.html|title=Attorney: 'What Did Tonya Know And When?'|date=February 2, 1994|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|access-date=June 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724093255/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1994-02-02/news/9402020823_1_nancy-kerrigan-tonya-harding-eckardt|archive-date=July 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Law enforcement had known about the pay phone calls, as investigators had been following and videotaping the co-conspirators since January 10.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_012394.htm|department=Chronology of Kerrigan Attack|title=Tonya Harding Remains the Public Enigma|last=Brennan|first=Christine|date=January 23, 1994|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=August 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127035654/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_012394.htm|archive-date=November 27, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/01/sports/figure-skating-lawyer-for-skater-s-ex-husband-says-he-has-tied-her-to-attack.html|title=Lawyer for Skater's Ex-Husband Says He Has Tied Her to Attack|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Michael|last=Janofsky|date=February 1, 1994|access-date=August 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803074051/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/01/sports/figure-skating-lawyer-for-skater-s-ex-husband-says-he-has-tied-her-to-attack.html|archive-date=August 3, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Her penalties included three years of [[probation]], a $100,000 fine, and 500 hours of community service. She agreed to reimburse Multnomah County $10,000 in legal expenses, undergo a psychiatric examination, and volunteered to give $50,000 to the [[Special Olympics]] Oregon (SOOR) charity.<ref name="Longman">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/20/sports/figure-skating-harding-deal-handed-something-to-both-sides.html|title=Harding Deal Handed Something to Both Sides|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Jere|last=Longman|date=March 20, 1994|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725033155/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/20/sports/figure-skating-harding-deal-handed-something-to-both-sides.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Oregon sentencing guidelines carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison.<ref name="Balzar">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-17-mn-35216-story.html|title=Harding Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice. Olympian resigns.|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=John|last=Balzar|date=March 17, 1994|access-date=July 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716092703/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-03-17/news/mn-35216_1_figure-skating-team|archive-date=July 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Harding's plea conditions imposed her U.S. Figure Skating Association resignation, necessitating her withdrawal from the [[1994 World Figure Skating Championships|1994 Worlds]] (for which she was scheduled to leave on March 17).<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/17/sports/figure-skating-judge-accepts-harding-plea-in-conspiracy.html|title=Judge Accepts Harding Plea In Conspiracy|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Michael|last=Janofsky|date=March 17, 1994|access-date=July 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724063033/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/17/sports/figure-skating-judge-accepts-harding-plea-in-conspiracy.html|archive-date=July 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> District attorney Norman Frink said if Harding had not agreed to the plea, she would have faced "an indictment on all possible charges...punishment was taking away [skating] privilege."<ref name="oregonlive.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/tonya-harding/2014/01/tonya_harding-nancy_kerrigan_h.html |title=Harding found guilty of hindering investigation |last1=Long |first1=James |last2=Hogan |first2=Dave |date=March 17, 1994 |newspaper=[[The Oregonian]] |access-date=June 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623222100/https://www.oregonlive.com/tonya-harding/2014/01/tonya_harding-nancy_kerrigan_h.html |archive-date=June 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2018/02/i_was_tonya_hardings_prosecuto.html|title='I, Tonya'? Well, I prosecuted. And Tonya Harding was guilty as charged|last=Frink|first=Norm|date=February 24, 2018|work=[[The Oregonian]]|access-date=March 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043915/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2018/02/i_was_tonya_hardings_prosecuto.html|archive-date=March 6, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>