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Testimony costs flight attendant her job
SignOnSanDiego ^ | July 12, 2002 | Kristen Green

Posted on 07/12/2002 7:06:01 AM PDT by MizSterious

Testimony costs flight attendant her job

Airline fires witness for admitting pot use

By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

July 12, 2002

Denise Kemal was fired June 28, more than two weeks after her nationally televised testimony, because the company has a zero-tolerance drug policy.

Losing her job has ruined her life, Kemal said yesterday. "I've always wanted to fly," she said. "It took me years to get my job."

She said she is appealing the dismissal because smoking marijuana "wasn't an everyday thing." While she waits for an answer, Kemal, 28 and recently divorced, watches the Westerfield trial from the couch of her new Florida apartment.

Kemal was called to the witness stand by the prosecution June 10. She was at the van Dam home Feb. 1, the night 7-year-old Danielle van Dam was last seen, and spent the evening with Brenda van Dam, the girl's mother.

The two had become friendly through their husbands, who both work at Qualcomm. A spokeswoman for Southwest confirmed that Kemal had been fired, but declined to elaborate. She said company policy states that the "illegal use of drugs, narcotics or controlled substances off duty and off company premises is not acceptable and may result in termination because it can affect on-the-job performance and the confidence of our customers in the company's ability to meet its responsibilities."

Kemal said she was just answering questions posed to her during Westerfield's trial because "I want to make sure he gets convicted."

"Because of him, it's just ruined everyone's lives," she said.

Kemal testified that she went out with her Tierrasanta neighbor Barbara Easton and Brenda van Dam to Dad's Cafe & Steakhouse in Poway two Fridays in a row, Jan. 25 and Feb. 1. They were celebrating Kemal's upcoming move to Baltimore, where she had been transferred for work.

The second night out, Feb. 1, she was introduced to Westerfield, whom she has described as "creepy." Westerfield is charged with kidnapping and murdering Danielle. If convicted, he could be sentenced to death.

Kemal said the three women first celebrated her move Jan. 25. Kemal and Easton, who lived in the same apartment complex, shared a bottle of wine before driving to the van Dams, Kemal testified. She said she smoked some marijuana in the van Dams' garage before they left for the bar.

The next week, the three women decided to spend that Friday night partying at Dad's again after Damon van Dam canceled plans to go out of town and agreed to stay home with the couple's three children.

On Feb. 1, they smoked pot in the garage a second time, Kemal testified, and she and Easton shared a beer. Later in the evening, they partied at Dad's, where they ran into Westerfield. At one point in the night, they went to van Dam's sport utility vehicle to smoke marijuana again.

Kemal said her supervisors learned that she had smoked pot because customers mailed newspaper articles about her testimony.

She had never had problems at Southwest before the trial, she said. In fact, she regularly received letters of commendation from airline passengers since she was hired in November 1998.

Once, a Texas couple she had met on a flight sent a box of candy to her home. Kemal, in turn, shipped them a set of candles for their living room.

Kemal said that even after Sept. 11, she didn't have any reservations about flying.

"I did it because it's my job, and I love my job," she said. "I get to travel and meet different people. I like to serve the public."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: 180frank; danielle; denisekemal; kidnap; michaeldobbs; vandam; westerfield
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To: FresnoDA; RnMomof7; EricOKC
"I want to make sure he gets convicted," she said. "Because of him, it's just ruined everyone's lives."

Wife swapping and dope smoking. Its all harmless fun until someone's little girl gets kidnapped and killed.

461 posted on 07/12/2002 3:07:43 PM PDT by VA Advogado
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To: RnMomof7
I doubt any of these fools are really serious, Rn--I suspect most of this is a chain-yanking exercise, trying to start a big flame war. And as long as they have us talking about drugs, we're not talking about the case--it's an old flying monkey thread disruption technique. Not really new, just tiresome.
462 posted on 07/12/2002 3:08:57 PM PDT by MizSterious
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To: RnMomof7
Oh my gosh no... No way..

Some, not all of the straight bus drivers are bad enough..they barely know how to turn corners without flipping the bus and the kids swear worse than x-rated gutter sewer talk...no control over the kids on the bus. it's disgusting.

463 posted on 07/12/2002 3:09:08 PM PDT by Freedom2specul8
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To: MizSterious; JudyB1938
And think of the one who first subdued the shoe bomber--I'm sure she'd be insulted reading some of these inane comments here.

Hopefully she would realize, as we do, that people who show no respect for others usually do so because they have none for themselves.

464 posted on 07/12/2002 3:09:27 PM PDT by Southflanknorthpawsis
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To: Greg Weston
Hey not if they are your kids...but you have driven them stoned huh?
465 posted on 07/12/2002 3:09:40 PM PDT by RnMomof7
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To: Hildy
"Shame"

Hildy, what does the word shame, the concept shame, mean to you?

466 posted on 07/12/2002 3:09:41 PM PDT by bvw
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To: RnMomof7
So you love the big govt police state. Too bad. And you thought the DMV was crowded now. "Come on up take a number grab your cup for your monthly test!"
467 posted on 07/12/2002 3:10:22 PM PDT by Greg Weston
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To: FresnoDA
ROFLOL !!!!!! Frez, you're in a league of your own.
468 posted on 07/12/2002 3:12:02 PM PDT by Southflanknorthpawsis
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To: ~Kim4VRWC's~
Kim you wrote

ya gots that right! I don't want pot smoking sections in restraunts, stone gas station clerks and stoned hair stylists...it just don't work!

This was a mocking agreement with the no drug laws folks...so may it be your children that are on that bus or plan or train and not me or mine..

469 posted on 07/12/2002 3:12:22 PM PDT by RnMomof7
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To: RnMomof7
No one here is supporting stoned driving. Comparing a bus driver on the job to a flight attendent on her off time is just plain silly.
470 posted on 07/12/2002 3:12:55 PM PDT by Greg Weston
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To: Greg Weston
scared huh?
471 posted on 07/12/2002 3:13:02 PM PDT by RnMomof7
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To: All
Ash alert
472 posted on 07/12/2002 3:13:10 PM PDT by rolling_stone
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To: MizSterious
"I don't know how thorough they were in that particular work, either. My guess is--not very, because that's pretty much how they did the rest of the investigation."


So right. The ME looked like he's getting on in years and really didn't seem to have done all he could have done. I agree, I think all the investigations into this left a LOT to be desired. Very shoddy. All the way 'round.

473 posted on 07/12/2002 3:13:20 PM PDT by the Deejay
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To: cyncooper
The neighbors that testified, testified to seeing it that morning at different times...in the affidavit, it was a neighbor that saw the MH there Friday night.

When did they tesify?...(they didn't)

474 posted on 07/12/2002 3:15:03 PM PDT by Rheo
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To: Oschisms
Once, a Texas couple she had met on a flight sent a box of candy to her home.

snicker

How did you know it was snicker(s)?

475 posted on 07/12/2002 3:16:19 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: RnMomof7
Of the big govt police state? Yep. All freedom lovers should be concerned.
476 posted on 07/12/2002 3:16:43 PM PDT by Greg Weston
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To: RnMomof7
I meant what I said..I DO NOT want want it legalized...for a variety of reasons and I named 3. (the best argument was for growing hemp, the NON-smoking variety for making clothes, rope etc.. I approve of pot for medical purposes..
477 posted on 07/12/2002 3:20:03 PM PDT by Freedom2specul8
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To: rolling_stone
You're right! It's been awhile..

Where's Don Morgan when we need him!

"ASH ALERT!!

sw

478 posted on 07/12/2002 3:20:17 PM PDT by spectre
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To: rolling_stone
Now that you mention it, sure could be...

Gee, I'd forgotten about Ash. With practice, that is.
479 posted on 07/12/2002 3:20:53 PM PDT by MizSterious
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To: Greg Weston
Exactly....no one is condoning drunken or stoned employees. I do think there are far too many idiots released from the prisons BECAUSE there are too many peopel sent to prison for pot.
480 posted on 07/12/2002 3:21:53 PM PDT by Freedom2specul8
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