The Tuohy family has been accused by retired NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher of deceiving him into a conservatorship shortly after his 18th birthday and benefiting unfairly from the profits of the hit movie “The Blind Side.”
The family vehemently denied the allegations in their legal response filed on Thursday.
In the four-page response submitted to a Tennessee court, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy defended their actions, emphasizing that the proceeds from “The Blind Side,” released in 2009, were fairly divided among themselves, their two children, and Michael Oher.
“All of the Tuohy family including the petitioner agreed to this arrangement, where each party would get 20% of proceeds paid,” the response stated.
Furthermore, they revealed that they had received a portion of the $225,000 paid to the acclaimed author Michael Lewis, whose bestselling book served as the basis for the film.
Additionally, the Tuohys claimed they had received a $200,000 donation to their foundation from the film’s profits. They asserted that Oher had been offered the same amount for a charity of his choice but failed to take action to claim it.
The Tuohys asserted that Oher was given the opportunity but chose not to engage.
In their legal filing, the Tuohys vehemently denied ever promising to adopt Oher. They clarified that they had used the term “adopt” in a “colloquial sense” to describe their relationship with Oher and never intended for it to carry legal implications.
The Tuohys explained that they assumed conservatorship of Oher to ensure he was eligible to play college football at the University of Mississippi, their alma mater.
The response stated, “Conservatorship was the tool chosen to accomplish this goal” after the NCAA made it clear that Oher’s association with the Tuohys was the only way he could attend Ole Miss.
The story of the Tuohys’ efforts to help Oher rise from poverty to the NFL became widely known through “The Blind Side.” However, last month, Oher filed a petition in Shelby County probate court, claiming that the central element of the story – the Tuohys adopting him – was fabricated to enrich the family.
Instead, Oher alleged that shortly after he turned 18 in 2004, the Tuohys deceived him into signing a document that made them his conservators, granting them legal authority to engage in business dealings on his behalf.
In his court petition, Oher sought the termination of the conservatorship granted to the Tuohys in August 2004, a full accounting of the money earned using his name, and a fair share of the profits, in addition to unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
The Tuohys’ attorneys have publicly expressed their desire to end the conservatorship, reiterating this intention in their court filing, which stated, “Respondents stand ready, willing, and able to terminate the conservatorship by consent at any time.”
What is your take on this messy situation?
Clearly, there will be much more to come as neither side seems like they’ll be backing down.