CHICAGO (AP) -- A Cook County judge threw out a breach of contract lawsuit against Michael Jordan o*n Thursday, saying the former basketball star can't be forced to pay $5 million to a former lover who allegedly promised to keep quiet about their affair.
In his ruling, Circuit Judge Richard A. Siebel agreed with Jordan's attorney that such an agreement with Karla Knafel would be unenforceable legally.
Jordan's attorney, Frederick J. Sperling, had argued in the civil case that giving the sum to Knafel in exchange for her silence would amount to paying extortion money.
"Because the hush money provision infects the entire agreement, the court finds that the entire agreement between Jordan and Knafel is void and unenforceable as a matter of law," Siebel said.
Knafel's attorney, Michael Hannafan, said his client and Jordan had a sexual relationship from 1989 to 1991 in Chicago, Indianapolis and Phoenix. Knafel discovered she was pregnant shortly after being with Jordan in November 1990, Hannafan said.
At that time, she believed the child was Jordan's, he said.
Jordan then offered her $5 million to buy her silence about their relationship and about the child she thought was his, Hannafan said.
"It was Jordan who initially offered to pay her $5 million in the spring of 1991 for her agreement not to file a public paternity proceeding and for keeping their sexual relationship publicly confidential," Hannafan said last November in filing a breach of contract lawsuit against Jordan.
Blood and DNA testing performed after the child's birth in July 1991 determined Jordan was not the father.
Jordan contended in court documents that o*nce tests determined that he did not father the child, Knafel and her attorneys agreed to a $250,000 payment. He denied ever agreeing to pay the $5 million.
PEACE.
