Tuohy family says Michael Oher tried to shake them down for $15M

WHILE, THEY ALSO CLAIM THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME ORR HAS TRIED TO SHAKE THEM DOWN FOR MONEY. THE FAMILY AT THE CENTER OF THE OSCAR-WINNING FILM "THE BLIND SIDE" NOW ON DEFENSE. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY PLACE TO STAY TONIGHT? DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME. COME ON. >> Reporter: AFTER FORMER NFL PLAYER MICHAEL ORR FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM CLAIMING HE WAS LIED TO AND EXPLOITED FOR THEIR FINANCIAL GAIN. BUT THE TUOHY FAMILY IS FLIPPING THE SCRIPT. THEIR ATTORNEY ALLEGES ORR THREATENED THEM IN A SHAKEDOWN SAYING HE WOULD PLANT A NEGATIVE STORY ABOUT HIM IN THE PRESS UNLESS THEY PAID HIM $15 MILLION. IN AN INTERVIEW MONDAY PROMOTING HIS NEW BOOK, ORR DID NOT DISCUSS THE LAWSUIT BUT EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH HOW HE WAS PORTRAYED. >> WHEN I MOVED IN WITH THE TUOHY FAMILY FOR WHO I'M GRATEFUL FOR LETTING ME STAY MY SENIOR YEAR THERE, BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN FOOTBALL PLAYER BEFORE I MOVED IN WITH THEM. >> DO YOU WANT TO STAY HERE, MICHAEL? >> Reporter: ORR DESCRIBES IN THE COURT DOCUMENTS HOW HE WAS ON HIS OWN IN HIGH SCHOOL AND NEARLY PENNYLESS. HE SAYS IN 2004 THE TUOHYS INVITED HIM TO LIVE WITH THEM, EVENTUALLY CITING ADOPTION. JUST SIX MONTHS AGO HE SAID HE LEARNED HE WAS NEVER ADOPTED. INSTEAD THEY BECAME HIS CONSERVATORS. IN AN INTERVIEW, SHAWN TUOHY SAID THE CONSERVATORSHIP WAS A WAY TO ENSURE HIS NCAA ELIGIBILITY, SAYING LAWYERS ADVISED WE COULDN'T ADOPT OVER THE AGE OF 18. THE ONLY THING WE COULD DO WAS HAVE A CONSERVATORSHIP. WITHOUT HIM RECEIVING ANY PAYMENT, WHILE THEY PROFITED. NOW HE WANTS THE MONEY HE BELIEVES HE'S OWED. THE FAMILY DENIES THE ACCUSATIONS. >> WELL, BECAUSE TONIGHT IS A SPECIAL OCCASION. >> Reporter: SHAWN TUOHY BUILT AND SOLD A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT EMPIRE. HIS ATTORNEY SAYING THE NOTION THAT A COUPLE WORTH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WOULD KA NOOIF TO WITHHOLD A NEW THOUSAND DOLLARS IN PAYMENTS FROM ANYONE, LET ALONE FROM SOMEONE THEY LOVED AS A SON, DEFIES BELIEF. MICHAEL ORR'S PETITION TO THE COURT ASKS FOR AN END TO THE CONSERVATORSHIP. THE ATTORNEYS SAY SHOULD MR. ORR WISH TO END IT, THEY WILL NOT FIGHT IN ANY WAY. THEY WILL NOT HESITATE TO DEFEAT WHAT THEY CALL AN OFFENSIVE LAWSUIT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET'S BRING IN LAURA JARETT. FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS AN ALL-AROUND KIND OF SAD BUMMER OF A STORY. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE TUOHYS SAID. THEIR ONLY CHOICE WAS TO HAVE A CONSERVATORSHIP BECAUSE HE WAS TOO OLD TO ADOPT. >> UNDER TENNESSEE LAW THAT MAKES SENSE. USUALLY A CONSERVATORSHIP, EVERYONE REMEMBERS THIS WITH THE DEBACLE WITH BRITNEY SPEARS, IT IS EITHER SOMEONE WHO IS UNDERAGE OR IF YOU KNOW SORT OF IMPAIRED IN SOME WAY. NOW, IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT AT 37 YEARS OLD HE NEEDS TO STILL HAVE THE CONSERVATORSHIP. IF THEY'RE NOT CONTESTING IT, THE JUDGE WILL PROBABLY LET THEM OUT OF IT. THE ISSUE IS WHETHER HE SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO BACK PAY OR MONEY BECAUSE HE'S SAYING THEY MADE A LOT OF MONEY OFF HIS LIKENESS AND USING HIS IMAGE. AGAIN, IT IS NOT CLEAR HE WILL BE ABLE TO GET ANY REMEDY FROM THAT. >> LAURA, WHAT ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT MICHAEL ORR, HIS CLAIM THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS PART OF THIS CONSERVATORSHIP FOR 20 YEARS. DOES A JUDGE OR JURY BUY THAT? >> I THINK THAT WILL BE TOUGH FOR HIM. AFTER 20 YEARS THE IDEA YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULDN'T ENTER INTO ANY CONTRACTS. CLEARLY HE WAS PLAYING IN THE NFL. HE WAS ENTERING INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEALS. IT WILL BE HARD TO PROVE THAT IN COURT. >> I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO MONEY AND WHETHER HE CAN GET ANY. >> THEY HAVE A GOOD ARGUMENT THAT, LOOK, THEY'RE HEALTHY. THEY MADE A LOT OF MONEY, NOT THROUGH THE MONEY, BUT THROUGH THE RESTAURANT. >> WHAT ABOUT HIM SAYING THEY TRIED TO GET $15 MILLION? >> IF THAT'S TRUE AND THE TUOHYS CAN PROVE THAT IN COURT, I THINK

Channel: TODAY

Views: 29,002

Keywords: Al Roker, Entertainment, Food, Hoda Kotb, International News, Money, Natalie Morales, Savannah Gutherie, Sports, Style, Today, Today Show, breaking news, concerts, domestic news, health, home, interviews, media, parents, pets, politics, shopping, weather

Id: 9e0cxMZvsWI

Length: 4min 47sec (287 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 16 2023