Man didn't ask to be like Mike, so he's suing ($832 million)

The Oregonian ^ | 07/08/06 | Holly Danks

[Andy from Beaverton]

Man didn't ask to be like Mike, so he's suing

Court - Allen Ray Heckard says his resemblance to Michael Jordan is distressing, and he wants the star and Phil Knight to pay

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Saturday, July 08, 2006

HOLLY DANKS

HILLSBORO -- Michael Jordan made a bushel of money shooting baskets and pitching Nike products.

Allen Ray Heckard, a 51-year-old Northeast Portland man, says he has been told he looks like Jordan. Now he wants some of that fortune for the pain and suffering of having a famous face.

Heckard, an airport shuttle driver and auto detailer with a prison record for drug possession, filed a lawsuit in Washington County Circuit Court last week asking for $416 million from the former basketball star and another $416 million from Nike founder Phil Knight.

Although 3 inches shorter, about 25 pounds lighter and 8 years older than Jordan, Heckard says he is constantly mistaken for His Airness. Like Jordan, he is African American, has a shaved head and wears a pierced earring in his left ear.

In the suit, Heckard says he is denied "the right to live a normal life" because he cannot attend a religious service or public functions, go to movies, ride public transportation, go shopping or play sports in public parks "without continually being harassed by the public of looking like michael jordan (sic)."

Acting as his own attorney, Heckard plunked down the $206 fee on June 29 to file the lawsuit. He is demanding $52 million from each defendant for "defamation and permanent injury" and $364 million from each in punitive damages for "emotional pain and suffering."

Heckard refused an interview with The Oregonian, saying he was on a local television newscast and that was going to be it for public comment.

Wearing Nike Air Jordan shoes, Heckard told KGW(8), "Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a positive thing, because Michael, like I say, is one of the best ballplayers that I've known to play the game. But then again, that's Michael and I'm me."

If Nike officials are laughing, it's in private.

"We don't believe the suit to have merit and will move to dismiss it," said Theresa Tran, director of communications for the Jordan brand at Nike.

"Basically, everybody has a right to have their day in court," said Stephen V. Piucci, past president of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and a specialist in personal injury litigation for a Portland law firm.

And Heckard's day, he said, "is going to be short."

Holly Danks: 503-221-4377; hollydanks@news.oregonian.com

[Iscool]

Nope...I see the difference...Mike's ear ring is solid 24kt gold...Allen's is 10kt gold plated...

[Iscool]

I hope this suit is successful, because people tell me I look like Eric Clapton, and I think he has money.

I'm gettin' in on that one...I don't look like Eric, but I own a guitar...

[Drew68]

But I've only been told of the resemblance maybe 50 million times by complete strangers over the past 15 years.

We must be related because I've been told the same thing. The resemblance is even more uncanny when I pick up my Stratocaster.

Clapton is a much better dresser than I am though. Sadly, my income doesn't allow for Versace suits.

[Drew68]

Sounds like he ought to be suing God, not Michael Jordan.

God doesn't have $832 million.

[Drew68]

Mike should sue this joker for impersinating him...

Mike should claim "emotional distress" for constantly being mistaken for a shuttle-driving convicted drug dealer.

[rvoitier]

Maybe Calypso Louie added it up for him. :-)

[Not A Snowbird]

I don't look like anybody. Who do I sue about that?

[freepatriot32]

i hope he is successful because i have been dying to sue brad Pitt.Ever since he became famous my life has been a living hell of having hot young women throw themselves at me round the clock. I will be in bed with one women and three others would be in line at the door waiting there turn. I haven't gotten more then 4 hours of sleep a night since the early 90s it sucks i tell ya. At least when I win 800 million dollars from the sob I can buy my own private island and get away from it all. No sarcasm tag that really happens to me all the time :-)

[Texican]

Andy:
Hey, I look like Michel too, there is a slight difference though, I am 82 years old, white, have some hair (getting gray), stand 5'10" and weigh 200 pounds. I think I look enough like him that I should get at least a couple of million don't you? Heck Michael should just donate some of his money to anyone that even thinks they look like him. Of course he might go broke, but what the hey, all of the poor souls that live off of the welfare rolls would benefit.

Good evening and the very best to you and yours.

Semper Fi
Tommie

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

[postaldave]

Heckard VS mike's lawyers LMAO

i really wish we had that losers pay the winners lawyers law to cut out this BS.

[M0sby]

Hey....My Husband looks A LOT like Nicolas Cage...WE ARE IN!!!
SHOW ME THE MONEY!~

(of course he also resembles Timothy McVeigh...but we will keep that to ourselves..ok?)

[stands2reason]

This is my husband Freeper Elvis_TCB


http://www.reflectionsoftheking.net/

[freepatriot32]

My Husband looks A LOT like Nicolas Cage...WE ARE IN!!!

of course he also resembles Timothy McVeigh

Ok now you gotta post his picture on here cause I really want to see what a combination of nic cage and timothy mcveigh look like lol

[ozzymandus]

My own resemblance to John Candy is amazing, so who can I sue? A friend of mine bears a striking resemblance to Bullwinkle the Moose, and one of my college fraternity bros looked so much like Frankenstein's monster that we called him Frank.

[sphinx]

Wanta bet Nike gives him $5000 to go away.

If Nike does that, I'll shave my head and get an earring too. I'd have to work hard on the tan, but for $5,000 easy ones ....

[LibertarianInExile]

"Acting as his own attorney, Heckard plunked down the $206 fee on June 29 to file the lawsuit."

Gee, I'm shocked. If there is any justice, the judge involved will sanction this man for bringing a frivolous case, and beyond mere attorneys' fees.

Anyone want to bet that will happen? I'm willing to bet against it.

[LibertarianInExile]

"I'm gonna have to sue Abe Vigoda."

Put me in as a third-party Plaintiff--I need to protect my rights against him. I'm suing him for being a crappy actor.

[bad company]

Larry the cable guy is in big trouble.

[skr]

Yup, he should get all that he deserves.