Davey Boy in Court...
Richard Berger
Smith in a Calgary courtroom have already been posted. My usually
trustworthy provider was out of action for some time, so I have no
idea if this group has seen them.
The first one, from Bob Beaty of the Calgary Herald, is undated.
(although an educated guess would suggest January 31). The second one,
from The Calgary Sun's Kevin Martin, was printed on February 8th. For
better or worse, here they are:
FAMOUS WRESTLER SAYS RING ACTION IS FAKED
Wrestling is as phoney (sic) as a three-dollar bill, a less-than-
shocked courtroom heard Wednesday.
And there is no less an authority on it than world-famous wrestler
Davey Boy Smith.
"Every single thing in wrestling is a fake." Smith said from the
witness box while defending himself in an aggravated assault trial.
Smith's admission propelled Crown prosecutor Gary Belecki to new
heights in a spirited cross-examination.
"To put it bluntly you are a fraud to the (wrestling) public."
Belecki roared after Smith admitted that all those thrilling pile
drives (sic) and power slams millions of fans gasp over are all staged.
"If you want to put it that way," Smith replied.
Belecki then charged that Smith was acting again in the witness stand
by denying he slammed a young bar patron on a concrete floor.
"You are putting on a show for Calgary and the world (with your
denials), aren't you?" Belecki asked.
Smith insisted he was telling the truth about the events, July 25,
1993 that led to Kody Light, 22, being severely brain injured.
Questioned earlier by defence lawyer Alain Hepner, Smith said he, his
wife Dianna and nine friends had a quiet evening at the Back Alley Bar
in south Calgary until Light appeared.
Smith said he had had about four beers when he went to the dance floor
around 1:20 a.m. to tell his wife it was time to leave for the evening.
He said that was the first time he met Light, a six-foot-three, 180
pound student at Devry Institute.
Smith said Light appeared at his side, grabbed his right hand, shook
it vigorously and repeatedly said: "You got a nice f------ wife."
Court heard earlier that Light asked Dianna for a dance and that Light
was waiting for Dianna when Smith appeared.
Smith said he didn't see the exchange between his wife and Light.
Smith told Court of Queen's Bench Justice Jack Waite that he repeatedly
and politely tried in vain to pull away from Light's handshake.
I said, "Thank you very much. I just wanted to let go (of the handshake)
and leave," Smith said.
Light then lurched forward. Fearing Light was trying to head butt him,
Smith said he put Light into a wrestling hold known as a "face lock."
Smith said he walked Light backwards about three metres toward a rear
door and left him with two bouncers.
"I told them, 'This guy is trying to cause a problem. Get him away from
me.'" Smith said, adding he tries to keep a low profile in public because
people constantly hassle him with questions about the fakery of wrestling.
The five-foot-ten-inch 245-pound wrestler said he let Light go, turned
his back to meet his wife then turned again to see Light lying un-
conscious on the bar-room's concrete floor.
Smith's version differed sharply from that of another Crown witness
who said earlier in the day that Smith punched Light in the face after
Light asked Smith's wife for a dance.
Peter MacKenzie, a friend of Light's, said Light fell to the floor
after the punch and that Smith then put Light into a reverse head lock,
dragged him across the room and rammed Light's head into a brick wall.
The trial continues today...
BULLDOG WINS THIS MATCH
Professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith has finally won a fight which
wasn't fixed.
Smith, who admitted all professional fights are predetermined, was
acquitted yesterday of a July 25, 1993 charge of aggravated assault.
He was accused of leaving Calgarian Kody Light permanently brain
injured during an altercation in a city bar.
"This was the worst fight of my life," said a clearly relieved Smith
moments after Court of Queen's Bench Justice Jack Waite found him not
guilty.
Waite ruled Smith acted in self-defence when he grabbed Kody Light in a
headlock and marched him across a cement floor before the city man fell
over, cracking his skull.
"The rights of a professional wrestler are no different than any other
citizen," said Waite.
"The accused's conduct in placing Light in a front face lock is properly
characterized as a legitimate act of self-defence. The accused's conduct
throughout, in my opinion, was entirely justified."
Moments after the verdict, Smith suggested Light was motivated by greed.
"He thinks I make a lot of money and he's trying to sue me," said the
veteran of the World Wrestling Federation.
But, after a consultation with attorney Alain Hepner, the Tampa, Fla.,
resident was less critical.
"I feel really bad for what happened to Kody Light -- it wasn't my
fault," he told reporters.
He admitted a conviction would have ruined him.
"If I was ever found guilty for something I didn't do, or something I
did do, the kids would lose total respect for the British Bulldog,"
said the England native.
Prosecutor Gary Belecki said he will look at the judgment before
deciding whether to appeal.
Light, meanwhile, said he was improperly portrayed in court as an
aggressive drunk; he admitted, however, that he remembers nothing of
the fight or even that night at the bar.
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