In a surprising turn of events, former professional athlete Bo Jackson has reached a settlement in his extortion lawsuit against his niece and nephew, Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M Anderson. Filed in April 2023, the lawsuit accused the Andersons of attempting to extort $20 million from Jackson through a campaign of harassment and intimidation. The legal dispute concluded with a consent judgment, which was issued on Tuesday, marking a significant development in the case.
The lawsuit's origins trace back to alleged harassment that began in 2022. Jackson claimed the Andersons engaged in threatening behavior through social media posts and messages, making false public allegations that damaged his reputation. The Andersons allegedly demanded $20 million to cease their actions, utilizing an attorney's aid.
Bo Jackson, 62, a celebrated former football and baseball player, known for securing the Heisman Trophy during his time at Auburn, took legal action to protect his family's well-being. In February, a judge had ruled in Jackson's favor, finding the Andersons in default and accepting Jackson's allegations as true. The ruling included a permanent protective order that barred the Andersons from contacting or approaching Jackson and required them to remove derogatory social media posts.
Despite the initial ruling, no damages were awarded to either party, and both sides were ordered to bear their own legal expenses. However, in a recent joint filing, Jackson and the Andersons requested the judge to dismiss the February order and issue a consent judgment instead.
The consent judgment maintained several key points from the earlier ruling. It confirmed no damages for either party and mandated that the Andersons pay their own attorneys' fees. Moreover, it enforced strict non-contact conditions between the Andersons and Jackson's family. Judge Jason D Marbutt complied with the request and vacated the previous ruling.