Osteen Jury Rejects Assault Claim in Houston Civil Trial
The Houston, Texas jury has spoken and has rejected the claim brought by a Continental Airlines flight attendant against mega church pastor Victoria Osteen. At the beginning of the trial, I noted that the trial should be interesting and that the plaintiff better have good evidence of damages. After reading about the trial for a week, it is clear that damages weren’t the only problem faced by the plaintiff. The evidence apparently was overwhelming that no assault occurred. Besides Mrs. Osteen, other passengers and even Continental co-employees all testified that no assault occurred.
At the start of the trial, I had assumed that there would be better evidence presented of an assault. I based that assumption on the fact that the FAA had fined, and Mrs. Osteen had paid, a $3,000 fine as a result of the incident. I guess I assumed that the fine would have been challenged, and won, had no assault occurred. Maybe the plaintiff’s lawyer made the same assumption and put all his eggs in that basket.
These types of cases aren’t representative of the cases tried at courthouses around Texas, but they are the ones that get all the press. This case highlights the need for lawyers to get all the facts they can before they pursue a case this far. If a case is a swearing match between the participants, but all the witnesses favor one side, that side will win every time. The juries usually get it right.
I wonder who will star in the next “celebrity” lawsuit? Stay tuned.
(Photo courtesy of ABCnews.com)
