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Graziano, Hogan Representatives Haggle Over Lawsuit

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 23, 2009

CLEARWATER - Lawyers involved in the civil lawsuit against Hulk Hogan and his family filed by John Graziano's guardian haggled in court this morning over a series of what seemed to be ultra-minor issues.

Graziano's guardian is seeking millions of dollars from the famed former wrestler, his estranged wife, Linda Bollea; their son, Nicholas Bollea; and Danny Jacobs. Jacobs was racing with Nicholas Bollea on Aug. 26, 2007, when Bollea lost control of his car, injuring Graziano.

Graziano, the car's only passenger, suffered serious brain damage and remains in a semi-conscious state at the veterans' hospital in Tampa.

Each of the defendants had their own attorney at a hearing today before Pinellas Circuit Judge W. Douglas Baird. Representing Graziano were Kimberly Kohn and George Tragos.

At issue: allegations or legal language in the lawsuit. No testimony was presented.

Some of the defendants' attorneys won small victories by convincing Baird to agree to striking some allegations from the lawsuit. Kohn and Tragos won a couple of minor victories, too, by persuading the judge to let some elements stay.

For instance, Baird agreed to strike from the lawsuit any reference to Jacobs working for Linda Bollea, as well as Linda Bollea's remarks on a videotape to the effect she loved street racing. Also stricken was a reference to the license plate on one of the Hogan family's vehicles — COEHSP, which stands for Capable of Eluding High-Speed Pursuit.

After the hearing, Kohn and Tragos said, even though the judge struck these references from the lawsuit, the attorneys would introduce them as evidence during future legal proceedings to establish the Hogans' liability.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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