After a highly-publicized paternity suit against NBA great Michael Jordan, the Georgia woman who filed the suit has now withdrawn it.
In a new about-face, a lawyer for Pamela Smith, the woman who accused Jordan of fathering her teenage son, confirmed that Smith withdrew her suit without prejudice Friday, the attorney told The Associated Press Monday.
Randall Kessler, who is representing Smith in the suit she filed against Jordan in February, said while Smith has elected to drop the case, his client "stands by the facts alleged in her original filing," he told the Press.
In the suit, Smith, who claimed that Jordan sired a child with her back in 1995 when he was still married to Juanita Vanoy, was asking for paternity and child support, as well as requesting that her son's name be legally changed to Jordan.
Her son also posted a YouTube video claiming that he was Jordan's son and that he wanted Jordan to play a bigger role in his life.
Jordan, through his representatives, has denied fathering a child with Smith. The six-time NBA champion, whose net worth is estimated at $650 million, has not publicly commented on the case. Jordan is also scheduled to marry girlfriend and model Yvette Prieto, whom he proposed to in December, in the spring.
However, Jordan's spokeswoman Estee Portnoy told the New York Daily News on Monday confirmed that Smith dismissed the paternity suit. Portnoy said there was no settlement or money paid to Smith. She said the lawsuit had no merit.
Smith "began this case without an attorney and did her best to file what she believed to be a legally appropriate case," Kessler said in a statement. "She then hired our firm just before the first court appearance. Ms. Smith has relied on our advice and determined that dismissal at this time, without prejudice, is in her son's best interests."
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