MARIETTA, Ga. — Bo Jackson is giving up a $21 million judgment in opposition to his niece and nephew, who the previous soccer and baseball star mentioned harassed and tried to extort cash from him.
A choose in February dominated in Jackson’s favor within the lawsuit he had filed in April 2023 in opposition to Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M. Anderson, also called Erica Anderson Ross.
Jackson, who gained the Heisman Trophy as an Auburn operating again and likewise performed within the NFL and in MLB, had alleged in his lawsuit that his kinfolk tried to extort $20 million from him by harassment and intimidation.
In addition to the financial award, final 12 months’s ruling included a everlasting protecting order barring his niece and nephew from bothering or contacting him and his fast household. It additionally mentioned they need to keep at the very least 500 yards from the Jacksons and take away social media posts about them.
Cobb County Superior Court Judge Jason D. Marbutt mentioned in his February order that neither Jackson’s niece and nephew nor their attorneys rebutted Jackson’s claims or participated within the case after a May 2023 listening to, after they consented to a short lived protecting order. The choose discovered the Andersons to be in default, accepting as true all of Jackson’s allegations.
After that ruling was issued, a brand new lawyer for the Andersons filed a movement in March to put aside that judgment and to dismiss the lawsuit, in accordance with court docket filings. In a submitting Tuesday, Jackson and the Andersons collectively requested the choose to throw out February’s order, withdraw the Andersons’ pending motions and enter a consent judgment.
“In the meantime, the Parties have performed two mediations and have reached a non-public settlement resolving this dispute,” the submitting says.
Marbutt on Wednesday issued an order vacating his February ruling on the request of Jackson and his niece and nephew.
That consent judgment finds in Jackson’s favor on a number of counts and dismisses others, awards no damages to Jackson or to his niece and nephew, and says the events shall pay their very own attorneys’ charges. It additionally says the Andersons should not harass or intimidate Jackson and his spouse and kids and should keep 500 yards away from them besides in sure circumstances, together with court docket appearances, sporting occasions and household capabilities. The Andersons are additionally to not have any contact with Jackson and his spouse and kids.
Jackson, 62, had alleged that the harassment started in 2022 and included threatening social media posts and messages and public allegations that put him in a false gentle. He additionally alleged that public disclosure of personal info was supposed to trigger him extreme emotional misery. With the assistance of an lawyer, the Andersons demanded $20 million to cease. Jackson mentioned he feared for his personal security and that of his household.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
