Citing the beginning of a “h
ealing process,” World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon opened tonight’s Extreme Championship Wrestling episode by saying that Chris Benoit’s name would not be mentioned at any other point during the telecast because of the revelations that have surfaced about the murder/suicide since a Benoit ntribute show aired on last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw. The telecast is opening with a bout between John Cena and Johnny Nitro. A complete ECW report will be posted later tonight.
ealing process,” World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon opened tonight’s Extreme Championship Wrestling episode by saying that Chris Benoit’s name would not be mentioned at any other point during the telecast because of the revelations that have surfaced about the murder/suicide since a Benoit ntribute show aired on last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw. The telecast is opening with a bout between John Cena and Johnny Nitro. A complete ECW report will be posted later tonight.In light of the reports questioning whether Benoit’s actions were related to steroid use, WWE has issued a press release on its web site hoping to debunk the “sensationalistic reporting and speculation being undertaken by some members of the media following the press conference held by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney.” The posting includes a statement that Benoit had passed a WWE drug test administered on April 10, 2007. Here is the link: http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/benoitpressrelease.
ESPN.com reported that Fayette County district attorney Scott Ballard indicated that Daniel Benoit had needle marks on his arm. Ballard said he believed David Benoit was being given human growth hormone by his parents because of concerns that the seven-year-old was undersized for his age.ESPN.com also reported that Ballard confirmed one of two text messages Benoit sent claimed that his son and wife were “sick.” Here is a link to the story: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2917133
Slam.com wrestling has reported that WWE canceled four of its scheduled dates in Canada for July, including one in Benoit’s hometown of Edmonton. Slam.com reported the Monday Night Raw taping in Corpus Christi that was canceled following Benoit’s death was rescheduled for July 16. Here is a link to the story: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/06/26/4292409.html.
WWE has posted a transcript of the text messages that were received from Chris Benoit by several of his co-workers early Sunday morning. Here is the link: http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/chrisbenoittimeline.
An Associated Press story states that Benoit was a customer of a company implicated in an upstate New York investigation of illegal steroid sales, according to the Albany (N.Y.) County District Attorney’s office. Here is the link: http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=6714550&nav=2aKD.
Dr. Keith Lipinski pointed out that TMZ.com has posted the court documents of Nancy Benoit's 2003 request for a restraining order against Chris Benoit as well as custody of Daniel Benoit. Here is the link: http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0626_benoit_dismiss.
Daniel Benoit may have suffered from a genetic condition called Fragile X syndrome. Here is the link: http://www.news1130.com/news/topstory/article.jsp?content=20070626_212836_4500.
WWE and other distributors have pulled sales of Benoit merchandise from its web site. Here is the link: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/story/3996107p-4611133c.html.
