Auburn coach Hugh Freeze addresses ‘The Blind Side’ star Michael Oher’s lawsuit against Tuohy family

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze spoke publicly for the primary time about the lawsuit filed through Michael Oher against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, lamenting over the placement and expressing his love for all events concerned. Freeze used to be Oher’s head coach at Briarcrest Christian School in Eads, Tennessee and went directly to function an assistant coach at Ole Miss all over Oher’s taking part in occupation with the Rebels. He additionally considers the Tuohy family to be shut pals.

“I love Michael Oher,” Freeze instructed Auburn newshounds Thursday. “He’s like part of our family. I love the Tuohys. I think it’s sad, and I certainly don’t claim to understand all the ins and outs of adoption, conservatory, all of that. But I know what I witnessed, and I witnessed a family that totally took in a young man. And I think without that, there is no story.”

Oher’s lawsuit, which used to be got through ESPN, claims the Tuohys entered Oher right into a conservatorship whilst presenting it to be the similar procedure as criminal adoption. The lawsuit demanded an finish to the Tuohys’ conservatorship of Oher, which has been in position since 2004, simply months after his 18th birthday. 

Entering Oher right into a conservatorship allowed the Tuohys to supervise Oher’s monetary existence and input into criminal offers with out his consent, even though Oher used to be no longer a criminal member of the family. In the case of ‘The Blind Side,’ the award-winning movie grossed greater than $300 million and earned actress Sandra Bullock an Oscar for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy. 

Oher’s lawyers declare the 4 organic contributors of the Tuohy family had been all compensated $225,000 and a couple of.5% of “defined net proceeds”.

The Tuohy family and their criminal workforce referred to as accusations “hurtful and absurd.” Attorneys for the family mentioned Wednesday the $500,000 in proceeds from the movie used to be break up calmly amongst all 5 Tuohy family contributors — Oher integrated — at $100,000 in keeping with particular person. 

“In reality, the Tuohys opened their home to Mr. Oher, offered him structure, support and, most of all, unconditional love,” Martin Singer, an legal professional representing the Tuohys, mentioned in a commentary. “They have constantly handled him like a son and one among their 3 kids. His reaction used to be to threaten them, together with pronouncing that he would plant a detrimental tale about them within the press until they paid him $15 million.

“They insisted that any money received be divided equally. And they have made good on that pledge,” Singer persevered. “The evidence — documented in profit participation checks and studio accounting statements — is clear: over the years, the Tuohys have given Mr. Oher an equal cut of every penny received from ‘The Blind Side.’ Even recently, when Mr. Oher started to threaten them about what he would do unless they paid him an eight-figure windfall, and, as part of that shakedown effort refused to cash the small profit checks from the Tuohys, they still deposited Mr. Oher’s equal share into a trust account they set up for his son.”

Freeze believes the Tuohy family nonetheless loves Oher and expressed hope for a possible reconciliation at some point. 

“I know if Michael called Sean (Tuohy) right now and said, ‘Let’s work this out,’ Sean and Leigh Anne would be there in a hurry to hug his neck and tell him he’s loved,” Freeze mentioned. “I hope he feels that. And, certainly, I don’t claim to… until you walk in people’s shoes, I don’t claim to have all the answers to anything.”