Michael Oher, ‘The Blind Side’ subject, sues Tuohy family over adoption lies
Michael Oher, the former NFL tackle known for the movie The Blind Side, filed a petition Monday in a Tennessee probate court accusing Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy of lying to him by having him sign papers making them his conservators rather than his adoptive parents nearly two decades ago.
In the petition filed Monday in Shelby County Probate Court, Oher asks for the conservatorship to be terminated along with asking for a full accounting of the money earned off the use of his name and story.
He also asks to be paid what he is due along with interest. Oher, who has never been a fan of the movie of his life, also asks in the petition that the Tuohys be sanctioned and required to pay both compensatory and punitive damages determined by the court.
ESPN.com first reported the petition.
Steve Farese, a lawyer for the Tuohys, told The Associated Press that they will file an answer to the allegations in court but he declined to comment further. He was among three attorneys served on behalf of the Tuohys on Monday.
Leigh Anne Tuohy did not immediately respond to an email sent to her personal website.
The movie was nominated for an Oscar, and Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy.
In the petition, Oher says he only learned in February that the Tuohys remain his conservators.
Oher accuses the Tuohys of never trying to take legal action to assume custody from the Tennessee Department of Human Services before he turned 18. The conservatorship paperwork was filed Aug. 4, 2004 — after Oher turned 18 in May that year.
He was the 23rd overall pick in the 2009 draft out of Mississippi, and he spent his first five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He wound up playing eight NFL seasons, including 2014
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