Posted on 08/06/2008 4:58:12 PM PDT by fkabuckeyesrule
HOUSTON (AP) - A jury was seated Wednesday in a lawsuit alleging the wife of nationally known pastor Joel Osteen assaulted a flight attendant.
Opening arguments were set for Thursday in a case Victoria Osteen's lawyer called "silly." But Reginald McKamie, attorney for Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown, said he hopes the trial will show "that celebrity status doesn't take precedence."
Brown accuses Victoria Osteen of assaulting her before the start of a 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo. Brown alleges Victoria Osteen threw her against a bathroom door and elbowed her in the left breast during an angry outburst over a stain on her first-class seat. The Federal Aviation Administration fined Victoria Osteen $3,000 for interfering with a crew member.
Joel Osteen was at his wife's side Wednesday in court. McKamie said he expected to call the couple as witnesses.
Joel Osteen preaches at Lakewood Church, a Houston megachurch where about 42,000 people flock each week and where Victoria Osteen is co-pastor. His weekly television address is broadcast nationally and internationally.
Some potential jurors during questioning admitted to being star-struck by the Osteens and that their respect for them might affect their judgment.
"He has gotten me through a lot of tough times. I would believe what he has to say. I have a lot of respect for him," one female in the jury pool said.
Other potential jurors said they didn't like preachers or televangelists and that ministers can lie.
Brown wants an apology and punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of Victoria Osteen's net worth as part of her suit.
Victoria Osteen's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said before jury selection began Wednesday that Brown's claims are false and that what happened was a "minor incident." Hardin also asked a judge to throw out an FAA report detailing the alleged incident, saying the agency's investigation was "incredibly incomplete."
"This is a very silly case," Hardin told reporters.
McKamie said the FAA did an appropriate investigation. State District Judge Patricia Hancock said she would make a decision later on whether the report would be allowed.
Brown's suit claims the flight attendants asked to have Victoria Osteen removed from the plane. Hardin says Victoria Osteen and her family left voluntarily. The incident delayed the flight about 2 1/2 hours.
According to court documents, Brown claims that she suffers from anxiety and hemorrhoids because of the incident and said her faith was affected. She is also suing Osteen for medical expenses for counseling.
Brown had previously claimed she was attacked in another incident by an airport employee, according to a deposition she gave in the case.
His preaching is theologically very weak.
I have no animosity toward him and I think this lawsuit is mostly garbage, but I could be convinced that Victoria is a bit 'difficult'.
I have jury duty in a Houston court NEXT Monday. I am so thankful that I am not on this jury.
I seem to remember that I read Osteen takes no salary from his curch. He lives on profits from his books. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, I have never been to his church and have no intentions of going.
My comments were not solely directed to him. More of a broad brush of TV preachers if you will.
I grew up being told, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” However, my husband was a pilot with a company that hired “trolley dollies” in Atlanta. He said the majority worked just long enough to qualify for unemployment. They knew how to work the system and did. Sadly, in my years of nursing, I saw many women who had babies just so they could get more money from the government. Hopefully the jury will see this for what it is.
I seem to remember that I read Osteen takes no salary from his curch. He lives on profits from his books...
He quit taking a $200,000 yr salary in 2005 when his book was published. The Olsteens have lived in the same house for 13+ yrs and until last year he drove a nine yr old car he inherited when his dad died. As co-pastor I don’t know the situation for his wife regarding a salary, etc.
The church takes in about a million dollars a week which pays the salary of some 300 staffers, debt on the 95 million funding to purchase/renovate the facility, church outreach activities, etc.
You got to be kidding me. Buy tickets to pray? I wonder if it could be considered a business instead of non-profit.
No, I don’t know what the policy is regarding attending services and fees.... I’ve been in the facility back when the Rockets played there but not since Lakewood has been the occupant. I’d think it would very strange to charge a fee for their normal services, special events I could understand.
That is what my relatives from Ft. Worth said they were told when they called about times of the services. I don’t know if it was a special service.
Obviously one reason the plaintiff requested that amount was the hope that the Osteens would settle before they had to reveal their net worth. The settlement offer must have not met her expectations.
Wide, your explanation is probably right about the 10 percent.
The Osteen’s preaching is a little too weak for me, but I do think this lawsuit is unnecessary and just an effort to “go for the gold.”
Two words: Theology matters
So in world full of information.. and the fact that it is our own responsiblity to read the word... you don’t think it’s ok for him to bring one message?
Well certainly the FAA fining her gives some crediblity to the other side.
But I was more concerned since people went off topic about Osteen as a preacher that I would inquire.
Explain “theologically very weak” if you wouldn’t mind.
HUH? He is a motivational speaker. He's not a pastor. I geuss when I read a christian book or read the Bible or listen to a christian speaker I am just looking for something deeper. Solid food not milk.
If people believe in his message then they want to make sure it gets out. Buying time on TV aint cheap.. nor is having your church in a stadium.
If people believe in his message and want to get it out around the world they want someone who can spread the message they like.
Why is it ok to make money off oil but not ok to make money in spreading the word?
That doesn't necessarily mean anything in this case. If you are involved in a car accident and you are cited but don't show up to contest the ticket, the citation cannot be used by the other party in a civil action for damages; at least in the state of Washington. Most states have adopted the uniform motor vehicle code, so it is likely the same in most, if not all states. The same principle would apply here. Osteen's attorney could simply say it wasn't worth the time and money to contest a mere $3,000 FAA fine. As I said on another thread, it is possible this is the very reason Victoria did not contest the fine and is why the judge may keep the report out of this trial as he should.
Get rich off prayer is the American Way. -sarc-
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.