Read more: Local, State, Economy, Sports, Jackson, Jimmy, James, NBA, Star, Basketball, Lien, Child, Support, Thousands, Holland
TOLEDO -- James “Jimmy” Jackson's a beloved Toledo basketball star. He’s a graduate of Macomber High School, an Ohio State stand-out, and his talents took him to several teams in the NBA.
The star may appear to be fading for this former hoops hero. His local business ventures have been struggling in the ailing economy, and now Jackson has become entangled in a child support triangle.
A document from Franklin County says the 38-year-old owes almost $300-thousand dollars to the mother of his child.
”He's the opposite of a dead beat dad,” says his attorney Chris Harbold. “He just wants this cleared up and wants to do what's right."
His Columbus based attorney says Jackson paid the woman directly, writing checks, instead of going through the system. He says this essentially created such the astronomical number. He says he was paid in full up until a few months ago, when Jackson filed a motion to have the payments lowered.
”It's an issue of him asking for a reduction in child support simply because of income differentials because he is no longer a professional athlete,” said Harbold.
A lien has been placed on Jackson's million dollar Holland home. To make matters worse the courts mixed up two other Ohio men, named James Jackson, with Jimmy.
”That was a nightmare trying to get them to stop that. The mothers acknowledged this is not the Jimmy Jackson that was a pro basketball player for 12 to 15 years,” says Harbold.
The motion filed by Jackson is expected to be addressed in court in August.
