Aissa Wayne Retells Story of Assault at Trial of Ex-Husband
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SANTA ANA — Aissa Wayne took the witness stand Wednesday at the trial of her ex-husband, Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, to describe for jurors the beating she and a boyfriend suffered two years ago. Gionis is charged with ordering the beating.
Wayne, the daughter of the late actor John Wayne then spent two hours under cross-examination about the bitter battle she fought with Gionis for custody of their daughter.
Prosecutors say that because of the custody fight, Gionis ordered the attack to have Wayne “taught a lesson.” Gionis, 37, hired private detective Dan Gal to spy on Wayne.
On Oct. 3, 1988, Gal sent two henchmen to Roger W. Luby’s estate in Newport Beach. Wayne and Luby were confronted in Luby’s garage and one of the men beat them up. Luby’s right Achilles tendon was cut and Wayne’s face was smashed into the concrete.
The man who beat the two, Jerrel Hintergardt, was convicted and is serving an eight-year prison sentence. Gal and the other assailant, Jeffrey K. Bouey, await trial.
Gionis’ defense claims Gal acted on his own.
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