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

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

Posted on by 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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HOLLY DANKS Saturday, July 08, 2006

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



TOPICS:

Crime/Corruption

Culture/Society

US: Oregon

KEYWORDS:

jordan

kook

lawsuit

lookalike

michaeljordan

tortreformnow

twin

twins





To: Andy from Beaverton

I have the same problem everytime I touch a basketball.:)



To: Andy from Beaverton

Okie dokie.



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



To: Andy from Beaverton

seems an entirely reasonable case and I hope he gets all 832 million dollars that he deserves.





/sarc



To: Andy from Beaverton

Can we just shoot this guys lawyer instead?



To: Andy from Beaverton

Heckard, an airport shuttle driver and auto detailer... ..and shake down artist Doogle



To: Andy from Beaverton

He should sue JJ Walker too:



To: Perdogg

I'm gonna sue Ashton Kutcher... /sarc



To: Perdogg

I wish the judge would fine him for tying up the docket with a frivolous law suit.



To: digger48

He's his own lawyer.



To: Andy from Beaverton

If all black men look alike, then all black men look like Michael Jordan... /fallacy



Really, this guy doesn't look a bit like Michael Jordan and if he feels harassed, all he needs to do is grow his hair.



by 11 posted onby coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))

To: Andy from Beaverton

He will settle out of court for what ever scrap he will get. when an A-hole



by 12 posted onby Michael.SF. (At least drunken sailors spend their own money, Congress doesn't.)

To: Dog Gone

Do you really look like Clapton? I'd love to see a picture and judge for myself! :)



One way to stop crap litigation like this: Loser pays.



by 14 posted onby clintonh8r (Jack Murtha? Not in my Marine Corps!)

To: Andy from Beaverton

Dear Allen,



You don't look like Mike.



by 15 posted onby Tired of Taxes (That's taxes, not Texas. I have no beef with TX. NJ has the highest property taxes in the nation.)

To: Eaker; humblegunner; antivenom; eastforker; Flyer; Humidston; RikaStrom; stevie_d_64; Texan64; ...

I like Mike ping.



by 16 posted onby TheMom (Dix now has a fellow Texan to talk politics with. R.I.P. TexasCowboy.)

To: Andy from Beaverton

It used to be that you only found Looney Tunes at the Disney studios but now they're everywhere in our country.



by 17 posted onby jazusamo (DIANA IREY for Congress, PA 12th District: Retire murtha.)

To: Hildy

Actually, I do, although I'm getting more grey hair than he currently has.



He sings better, too.



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



It never occurred to me to sue him.



To: TheMom

Bummer. I don't look like anyone famous.



by 19 posted onby humblegunner (If you're gonna die, die with your boots on.)

To: Andy from Beaverton

I'm gonna have to sue Abe Vigoda.



by 20 posted onby Pylon (Remember boys, flies spread disease, so keep yours closed.)

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