Posted on 09/29/2006 4:12:48 AM PDT by truthandlife
The Federal Aviation Administration has fined Victoria Osteen, wife of Lakewood pastor Joel Osteen, $3,000 after determining she had interfered with a Continental Airlines crew member aboard a flight late last year.
And this week, a flight attendant filed suit claiming she was assaulted by Victoria Osteen during that flight to Vail, Colo., for the Christmas holidays.
Osteen has paid the penalty, which is not an admission of guilt.
On the civil matter, Rusty Hardin, Osteen's attorney, called the lawsuit a "ridiculous" attempt to seek money from Osteen, whose husband is a best-selling author as well as the pastor of the largest church in Houston.
In February, the agency notified Osteen that officials were planning to fine her $5,000 for the Dec. 19, 2005, incident, according to a letter the FAA sent to Osteen. The agency reduced the fine, which Osteen paid last month.
Aboard the plane, according to the letter, Osteen asked flight attendant Verssie Ray for napkins to clean a liquid on the armrest of her first-class seat. When Ray returned with the napkins, Osteen told Ray she should clean the armrest because it was her job to do so, according to the findings of the FAA investigation.
After Ray told Osteen she would get another flight attendant, Osteen left her seat and asked flight attendant Maria Johnson to clean the seat.
"You (Osteen) grabbed FA Johnson's right forearm and led her to your seat," the FAA report stated.
Johnson told Osteen she would get aircraft-cleaning personnel to take care of the liquid stain and headed for the cockpit. Osteen followed Johnson toward the front of the airplane where she encountered flight attendant Sharon Brown and asked to speak to someone in authority.
"You (Osteen) then tried to get past FA (Sharon) Brown by pushing her out of the way and elbowing her in the left breast," the FAA report stated.
"Both FAs told you (Osteen) that you could not go into the cockpit. You (Osteen) then grabbed the arm of FA Johnson who had just exited the cockpit, said then come here and pulled her into the galley stating that you had enough of FA Brown."
Johnson and Brown then asked to have Osteen to be removed from the plane, but she and her family left voluntarily.
Claims filed in civil suit In her civil suit, Brown, a flight manager aboard Continental Flight 1602, stated she was pushed and elbowed in the chest by Osteen, who had walked up to the cockpit demanding "to speak with someone of authority."
The lawsuit, filed Monday, is seeking unspecified damages.
Hardin said Osteen did not assault Brown.
"Victoria Osteen never assaulted her, absolutely never assaulted her," Hardin said.
"This flight attendant just flipped out. I can't answer why, the only thing I can say is that Victoria Osteen is the last person in the world who would assault someone.
"This is an absolutely ridiculous lawsuit that never should have been filed."
Hardin and Lakewood Church said Osteen would not comment about the lawsuit or the allegation.
Reginald McKamie, Brown's attorney, said his client and flight attendant Maria Johnson filed complaints with the FAA.
He said several statements were filed supporting Brown's claim that she was assaulted by Osteen, including Johnson, who he said witnessed the assault. McKamie said Brown decided to pursue the lawsuit because Osteen still claims that they exchanged words because of a misunderstanding and that no assault took place.
"Victoria Osteen sent a letter out to her congregation saying she acted in a Christianlike manner. We're going to let a jury of 12 people from Harris County decide whether she acted in a Christianlike manner," McKamie said.
'Verbal misunderstanding' Hardin said Osteen paid the fine to put the issue to rest and because she believes "very, very strongly" that she did nothing wrong.
"It's unfortunate that the flight attendant thought it necessary to file a lawsuit over a verbal misunderstanding. It was never assault," Hardin said. "She would never had paid the fine if the finding had a finding of an assault."
Don Iloff, brother of Victoria Osteen and spokesman for Lakewood Church, however, cited errors in the report, namely that the plane departed from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Hardin said another attorney representing Brown had contacted him stating that his client wanted an apology from Osteen. Hardin said he never heard from the attorney again or anything related to the incident until the lawsuit was filed.
The lawsuit stated Brown sustained bruising and other pain as a result of the encounter. Brown is seeking compensation for past and future medical care, emotional pain, suffering, mental anguish and humiliation.
His message come straight out of "How to win friends and Influence People".....Dale Carnegie would be proud.......
Wow! That is sad!
It's all about feeling good. Never mind the persecution around the world of other christian believers.
"Johnson told Osteen she would get aircraft-cleaning personnel to take care of the liquid stain and headed for the cockpit. "
This is the giveaway. There are no "aircraft-cleaning personnel" aboard airplanes preparing for takeoff.
It's clear the FA's were refusing to do something "beneath them" and were saying they would call "cleaning personnel" from the tarmac to clean a first class armrest. No way were they going to have a lowly passenger tell them to do something that was not technically in their job description.
There are lot of holes in this story. It doesn't add up.
Wow, what a great thread. Christian bashing (without FACTS, only heresay) plus some class warfare by some jealous folks. It's got it all!
Romans 12:20
On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."...........
A normal person would go to the bathroom and get wet paper towels and clean up themselves. (As long someone had not thrown up or worse).
no christian bashing here; and no jealousy either.
I'm heresy bashing!
I agree, only God can judge him on that. We are not to judge others, but we can be fruit inspectors. "By their fruits, you shall know them."
"But reading the facts as reported here in the FAA report do not give us any indication that the FA's were rude,"
That's because you are reading only one side of the story.
If I were Osteen's attorney, I'd say "no further comment, just pay the fine".
Because you either fight the FAA for the next 5 years, or you just move on in your life.
The FA who's suing is going to use the FAA report (which does not include anything from Osteen herself) as the sole basis for her lawsuit.
Matthew 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
"Christian bashing (without FACTS, only heresay) plus some class warfare"
You noticed that too?
I hadn't mentioned it yet, but its there from the first three posts.
Personally I fear this is yet another step in the massive conspiracy to completely drive Christianity out of the U.S. Pretty soon waiters will be "forgetting" to refill her water glass and her luxury car detailer will "miss" spots. From there it's a slippery slope of cascading snowballs gathering moss. Before long, she won't even be able to pray.
Or something.
"(As long someone had not thrown up or worse)."
You have no idea whatsoever what was on that armrest. None. Zero. The story never tells you.
Hopefully Vicki can fly on the wings of angels, because no airline is going to let this harpy on any of their flights in the future, she's a security risk now. Everything changed on September 11th. Throw a tantrum and then storm towards the front of the plane and the cockpit area? You deserve to be tasered at the very least, she got off easy.
You are right, I only am reading the FAA report. But I am also reading what her lawyer has said. and I choose to believe the FAA report. Why do you supposed she was fined? Because the feds are greedy? If they are not greedy, then what was the fine for, in your guess?
1 Corinthians 5
12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."[b]
"Throw a tantrum and then storm towards the front of the plane and the cockpit area?"
You don't know that she "threw a tantrum". That's the word of the FA's.
You don't know it was her intention to go to the cockpit area. She could have been headed toward the galley, where FA's can normally be found before takeoff.
That fact is, you have no facts at all. You've read a one-sided account, and addedd several assumptions of your own. You do not know what really happened.
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