An NFL player who lives in Essex County is suing United Airlines for sexual assault.
The player is not named in the suit, which you can read in full below.
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A second unnamed man — who lives in Philadelphia and isn’t an NFL player — is jointly suing the airline. The only identifying detail the suit provides is that both men are black.
The men claim an unnamed middle-aged white female passenger sexually harassed and assaulted them on a Feb. 10 red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Newark. They also claim flight attendants failed to properly intervene.
The incident escalated to the woman grabbing the player’s penis, after previously groping him, the suit claims. The woman also grabbed the second man’s groin area.
The men are suing the woman and two flight attendants, in addition to the airline.
Here are some of the most troubling details from the suit:
? After the incident, the airline provided both men with a $150 voucher, presumably as an apology, though the suit doesn’t specify.
? At one point during the incident, the player “patiently” asked the woman to stop groping him because he was “fearful of the perception of being a male victim and the racial stigma of being a young African-American male.”
? The player occupied the middle seat in row 39, next to the woman, who was in the window seat. The second man was on the aisle in the same row, next to the player.
? The woman appeared “disheveled and unbalanced” as she found her seat. The men later saw her taking unknown prescription drugs. They believe she was “under the influence of drugs and intoxicated” when she sexually assaulted them.
? The woman harassed the player for wearing a face mask. (He was wary of the coronavirus, so he wore it.) The woman “began hitting [the player’s] arm and elbowing him.” She told him he was “frightening” and “ordered him to move to the front and use the air in the front of the plane because he was sick.”
? A flight attendant did not come to help, despite a request from the second man. That man complained to the attendant again after things got worse. But the attendant still did not assist.
? How much worse? The woman “continued to sexually assault and abuse [the player], make unwanted sexual advances towards [him], and engage in verbal and/or physical conduct of a sexual nature towards [him]."
The woman “groped and massaged [the player’s] knees and thighs. Fearful of the perception of being a male victim and the racial stigma of being a young African-American male, [the player] patiently pleaded for [the woman] to stop, and removed her hand.”
? Things got even worse for the player about an hour and 15 minutes after scheduled departure. The woman “intensified her sexual assault and abuse.” She “starred [sic] at [the player], while grabbing and groping his quads — and then stroking her hand across his lap, towards the inside of his leg near his genitals.”
The player immediately removed the woman’s hand and “pleaded” to a flight attendant to help. The attendant “simply issued a verbal warning” to the woman, but did nothing more.
? Was the incident over? No.
When the woman turned away toward the window, the player thought he could finally rest. But then the woman "put her hand through [the player’s] jacket and caressed his chest and pecs, working her way up to his face. While touching [the player’s] face, [the woman] grabbed [his] penis and ripped off his face mask."
The player “jumped up from his seat and complained in front of the entire plane,” saying the woman was "touching me.” He rushed to notify a flight attendant.
? While the player was gone, the woman moved over next to the second man and “sexually assaulted [him] by grabbing his leg and groin area.”
? When a flight attendant came over — after the player complained for the final time — the woman “admitted that she was drinking and had taken pills.” The attendant moved the woman to another row. The men were later informed she was “moved a second time for being disruptive yet again — and finally moved to a row with no other passengers.”
Below is the complete suit (mobile app users, please click here to read it):
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