Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 12:37 am
A Mississippi woman, who says that slain football star Steve McNair is the father of her teenage daughter, is seeking the child’s “rightful share” of the former Titan’s estate.
In documents filed Friday in Nashville, Clover Lee claims that McNair is the biological father of her 17-year-old daughter, referred to as J. N. L., and that the girl ought to be named an heir to the fortune.
Lee, who lives in McNair’s hometown of Mount Olive, Miss., has asked the court that the McNair estate be required to pay “all back due support as allowed by law,” according to court records.
McNair’s estate has been valued at about $19.6 million.
Lee’s attorney, David Pitre of Gulfport, Miss., declined to comment Saturday but said in a statement that “we expect that questions of paternity and heirship will soon be conclusively answered by DNA testing, which is currently being conducted.”
McNair, 36, was killed by his girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, 20, on July 4 in a condo off Second Avenue. Police have said that the quarterback was shot by Kazemi, who then killed herself.
The popular football player didn’t leave a will. Widow Mechelle McNair has filed a petition naming four children as heirs; J. N. L. isn’t one of them. At the time of his death, the athlete was known to have two sons with Mechelle McNair, Trenton, 6, and Tyler, 11, and two sons from previous relationships, Steve McNair Jr., 17, and Steven O’Brian Koran McNair, 15.
It was unclear Saturday why Lee came forward with her claims more than three months after McNair’s death. McNair would have been about 19 years old when Lee’s daughter was born.
Because McNair didn’t leave a will, his widow is entitled to 40 percent of the net value of the estate. She has asked the court to award her that amount in addition to property that widows are allowed to keep, including cars and household furniture.
Via: The Tennessean