An occasionally tearful Hulk Hogan defended statements he made during conversations with his jailed son during the Larry King Live show Tuesday.
Hogan was heard on tapes released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office suggesting John Graziano, who was seriously injured in Nick Bollea's Aug. 26 car wreck, must have done something to bring it on himself.
On the CNN show, Hogan said the recordings were taken out of context. He also said his goal was to help his son, Bollea, who was having a difficult time coping in solitary confinement.
" I was desperate trying to keep my son from unraveling," he said.
Nick Bollea, 17, was sentenced to eight months in jail last month after he pleaded no contest to reckless driving with serious bodily injury.
Hogan said his son wants to take responsibility for his actions and move forward.
"We're not ducking and dodging," Hogan said. "Nick stood up like a man."
David Houston, one of Bollea's attorneys, said he couldn't think of another case where recorded jail conversations were made public. The conversations with his family were the only thing sustaining Bollea, Hogan said.
"To have that taken away, he had no recourse and I was more worried than ever about his mental state," Hogan said.
At the time, Bollea was being held alone in a jail cell but has since moved to a cell with other juvenile offenders.
Hogan, 54, also told King that he does not believe his son was racing before the accident.
During the hourlong interview, Hogan briefly discussed his divorce proceedings with his wife, Linda Bollea, and confirmed he's dating a 34-year-old woman. However, Hogan denied the rumor that his new girlfriend is a friend of his 20-year-old daughter, Brooke.
He also said he heard his wife is dating a 19-year-old.
[Last modified: Jun 17, 2008 01:13 PM]
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