Osteen's Wife Sued... but Acquitted (Updated)

[Tiger Wench]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080806/ap_on_re_us/osteen_s_wife_lawsuit_4

HOUSTON - After questioning that touched on religious beliefs, celebrity and the public's perception of preachers and televangelists, a jury was seated Wednesday in a civil lawsuit alleging the wife of nationally known pastor Joel Osteen assaulted a flight attendant.

A jury panel of seven men and five women was set to hear opening statements in the trial on Thursday.

In the lawsuit, Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown accuses Victoria Osteen of assaulting her before the start of a 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo. Brown alleges Victoria Osteen, co-pastor of Houston's popular Lakewood Church, 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.

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 a federal report detailing the alleged incident.

"This is a very silly case," Hardin told reporters.

Joel Osteen was at his wife's side Wednesday in court. Brown's attorney, Reginald McKamie, said he expected to call the Osteens as witnesses during the trial.

McKamie, said he hopes the trial will show "that celebrity status doesn't take precedence."

However, some potential jurors during questioning admitted to being star-struck by the Osteens and that their respect for them might affect their judgment in the case.

Many of the people in the 130 member jury pool said they had been to Lakewood Church, had read Joel Osteen's books and held the Osteens in high regard.

"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.

A prospective male juror said, "I would have the tendency to believe they were telling the truth a little bit more."

The religious beliefs of some jurors came out during the selection process.

"If Victoria did assault Ms. Brown, God sees that...and she will be judged in her own way," another prospective female juror said.

While Hardin questioned potential jurors, some said they didn't like preachers or televangelists and that ministers can lie.

The Federal Aviation Administration fined Victoria Osteen $3,000 for interfering with a crew member. The FAA report states Victoria Osteen asked another attendant to clean a liquid on her first-class seat armrest. When that attendant said she would get another flight attendant, Osteen grabbed a second flight attendant and took her to the seat, the report said.

The second attendant said she would call cleaning personnel and headed to the cockpit, the FAA said. Victoria Osteen followed her and came across Brown, whom she pushed and elbowed in an attempt to get to the cockpit, according to the report.

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.

Brown had previously claimed she was attacked in another incident by an airport employee, according to a deposition she gave in the case.

During a court hearing Wednesday before jury selection began, Hardin asked that the FAA report's findings not be allowed to be heard during the trial.

"The FAA does, in all due respect, an incredibly incomplete investigation," Hardin said.

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 .

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.   WTF?????

"We just want the jury to hear the evidence and make a decision," McKamie told reporters.

Joel Osteen preaches at Lakewood, a megachurch where about 42,000 people flock each week. Services are held at a 16,000 seat facility that was formerly the Houston Rockets' basketball arena. His weekly television address is broadcast nationally and internationally.

[AUTailgatingRules]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080806/ap_on_re_us/osteen_s_wife_lawsuit_4

Maybe Osteen scared the shit out of her, hence the hemerrhoids?

[Tarheel]

I would tend to believe the flight attendant apart from her claims of suffering because of the incident.  There's something patently insincere and disingenuous about the Osteens to me (but that's my opinion...having been raised watching Billy Graham, a fellow North Carolinian, I should add that I'm biased).  I saw the Osteen's in Santiago last year and they seemed keen on not talking to anyone and being incognito but being one of the very few Americans there too I knew exactly who they were.

No offense intended if you go to church there TigerWench.

[Rancid Milk]

Tarheel, that makes two of us, at least.

I drive by their church quite a bit on US 59 and his name (Joel Osteen) is prominently displayed on the church building itself...I have a BIG problem with that.  He's long on the "feel good" and entertainment aspects and pretty short on theology. 

That aside, his wife has the reputation of being something of a prima donna.  If the stewardess had left the hemorrhoids out of it, she would be perceived as being much more credible.

[Tarheel]

Tarheel, that makes two of us, at least.

I drive by their church quite a bit on US 59 and his name (Joel Osteen) is prominently displayed on the church building itself...I have a BIG problem with that.  He's long on the "feel good" and entertainment aspects and pretty short on theology. 

That aside, his wife has the reputation of being something of a prima donna.  If the stewardess had left the hemorrhoids out of it, she would be perceived as being much more credible.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that way.

[Tiger Wench]

I am not a member at Lakewood.  I am not sure I buy into "God wants you to have material wealth" and that is basically his theology.  Hoever, they seem like decent people.  This is the only negative thing I've ever heard about any of them.  They aren't flashy and ostentatious.  They tithe, and he either gets money from a salary and donates all book profits to the church, or else he does not take a salary from the church and lives off book money - I forget which.

Maybe Victoria was a psycho bitch - but her "celebrity" status is the only reason why this suit is going forward.  Considering that the flight attendant has filed a similar complaint before, I think this suit is bullshit.

Rancid, you in Houston??

[Tarheel]

I am not a member at Lakewood.  I am not sure I buy into "God wants you to have material wealth" and that is basically his theology.  Hoever, they seem like decent people.  This is the only negative thing I've ever heard about any of them.  They aren't flashy and ostentatious.  They tithe, and he either gets money from a salary and donates all book profits to the church, or else he does not take a salary from the church and lives off book money - I forget which.

Maybe Victoria was a psycho bitch - but her "celebrity" status is the only reason why this suit is going forward.  Considering that the flight attendant has filed a similar complaint before, I think this suit is bullshit.

Rancid, you in Houston??

Maybe I'm mis-reading them...what's that scripture "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."? (John 8:7)  At any rate it would have been amusing to have been on that plane and seen the exchange first-hand!

[Rancid Milk]

Rancid, you in Houston??

I am indeed in the area...I'm out in Sugar Land.

[Tiger Wench]

Maybe I'm mis-reading them...what's that scripture "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."? (John 8:7)  At any rate it would have been amusing to have been on that plane and seen the exchange first-hand!

They are definitely not your stereotypical televangelist couple.  I do believe they are decent, but they are very influential in Houston.  Everyone is entitled to a bad day - unfortunately for her, it was in public, and with a lawsuit happy bitch.

As I said, I don't go to their church, nor would I, as I disagree with the "happy happy joy joy" message he teaches.  However, I kind of am on their side in this one.

Rancid - I live up near Willowbrook Mall, off 249 and Beltway 8.

[Tiger Wench]

Okay, I just saw the story on the news - not surprisingly, the flight attendant is a minority.

[Buzz Killington]

I just want an apology...that's all.







Oh, and a tenth of all your shit.

[AWK]

She claimed a medical injury, aka hemorrhoids, so that she could get meds calculated into her damages.  Its hard to get any type of emotional damages now a days, especially Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

I'd offer her the apology she needs and a liftetime supply of Preperation-H.    Go the fuck home lady.

[tiger88]

The suit is a load of crap to an extent. However, there is an faa document suipporting the stewardesses claims and osteens beeeeotch went in fronnt of the church and claimed her actions were christian based or something like that. She was basically saying, they were wrong and I was right. Oh, and she was fined 3,000. Had she just come out and apologized, like she should have, who knows.

[Tiger Wench]

HOUSTON - The wife of televangelist Joel Osteen thanked and praised God after a jury unanimously decided Thursday that she did not assault a flight attendant during an alleged tirade over a stain on her first-class seat.
 
Jurors rejected Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown's claims that Victoria Osteen threw her against a bathroom door and elbowed her in the left breast while attempting to rush the cockpit because she was angry that a stain on her seat's armrest was not quickly cleaned up.

Victoria Osteen began to cry after the jury's verdict was read. She hugged her attorneys and several supporters in the courtroom as she said "thank you God" and "praise God." The 12 jurors deliberated for about 2 1/2 hours.

"I'm glad it's over," Victoria Osteen said afterward. "I expected it because it's the truth and I know the truth always stands firm."

Joel Osteen said he and his family hold no ill will toward Brown.

"It's a great vindication and shows us the faithfulness of God," he said.

Brown was suing for at least $405,000 for physical and mental pain suffered as a result of the attack she alleged had occurred before takeoff aboard a December 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo.

Brown's attorney, Reginald McKamie, said afterward, "We're disappointed in the verdict."

Victoria Osteen, the co-pastor of Houston's popular Lakewood Church, testified that the alleged assault never happened, as did her husband and other first-class passengers. Victoria Osteen's lawyer dismissed Brown's lawsuit as a made-up story concocted to land a courtroom payday.

Another flight attendant, Maria Johnson, supported Brown's claims. Both flight attendants testified they had to block the cockpit door to prevent Victoria Osteen from getting inside.

Brown's side earlier sought an apology and punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of Victoria Osteen's net worth as part of her lawsuit. Victoria Osteen's attorney, Rusty Hardin, has declined to discuss her finances. It was unclear what percentage of her net worth the $405,000 might be.

In his closing argument earlier Thursday, Hardin described the incident as a verbal dispute, and labeled Brown's claims that she suffered injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder a "sacrilege" and a "blasphemy."

The jury's foreman, Gilles Labbe, said he and other jurors believed what happened on the plane was only a minor dispute between a passenger and one or more of the flight attendants.

"My personal point of view (the lawsuit) was a complete waste of time because the incident didn't rise to any kind of level. I fly all the time. I've seen a lot worse than that happen on airplanes."
Brown quickly left the courtroom without talking to reporters, but in a brief statement her attorney read, she said, "We gave the truth to the jury. We are happy we had an opportunity to try our case."

The Osteens are co-pastors of Lakewood Church, which draws about 42,000 people each week for services. Joel Osteen's weekly television address is broadcast in the U.S. and internationally and his books are sold around the globe.

The Osteens paid a $3,000 fine the Federal Aviation Administration levied against Victoria Osteen for interfering with a crew member but testified they did that to put it behind them.

[Pell City Tiger]

I'd offer her the apology she needs and a liftetime supply of Preperation-H.    Go the fuck home lady.

This would be all she'd get from me.