Victoria Osteen, Joel Osteen's Wife, Accused Of Assaulting A Flight Attendant

HOUSTON — 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.

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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.

Comments

[EvtheBev]

Another of the "God wants YOU to give YOUR money to MY church' brigade and they are traveling on commercial airlines - maybe the weak-minded idiots that seek solace from these latter-day snake oil salesmen are not putting enough loot into the collection box for them???

Another pair of charlatans .....

[appleknocker]

Not to defend the Osteens, but I thought most his peers owned private jets.

[paixa3]

He may be still working toward his, never know!

[SwingingFromCenter]

Not to defend the guy (I find the concept of an invisible sky fairy abhorrent), but from what I understand he has never, not once EVER asked anybody to give his church money. I don't think they even pass around a plate during service.

[purplefishies]

This smells so bogus. I don't know Victoria's personality, but I watch Joel on Tv from time to time and it seems like they are a very kind couple.

With that being said, everyone makes their own social gaffes...but Please, 10% of her worth is what this attendant wants ?? That is absurd. It just sounds so much like a desperate attempt to sue someone famous.

[helonias]

And tells us about rich christians

[AgentMacGyver]

"They seem so kind on TV"... Sheep, did you know Dr. Phil was disgraced in Texas for sexually coercing a very young secretary? But he seems so nice...

[Julie02]

Actually, Dr. Phil does not seem nice. He comes off as a pompous windbag.

[kadene]

Stain on seat or not, Mrs. Joel should have practiced what she and her husband preach. Compassion. Patience. Humility. If they did, they wouldn't even have been in First Class, but in steerage, following the example of Jesus who it is said, rode an ass.

[Furby]

God, I love these stories. Keep 'em coming.

[biglover]

LMAO. Good comment - but Huffo loves these celebrity stories - maybe they should be relegated to the entertainment section.

I must admit I was curious enough to read it and the comments and I am glad I did. I am surprised they don't have their own plane. Goodness knows they have enough money to own their own.

[MajorKong]

I'm surprised she wasn't brought up on federal charges for assaulting a flight crew member. They take that sort of thing very seriously nowadays.

[paixa3]

Did you read the article? She was fined $3K by the FAA.

[Winski]

HACKS...ALL HACKS...Couple and Lawyer...HACKS!!

[jahjah]

this flidght girl just wants money period the osteens are very nice people

[desertdweller]

...and I am six feet tall and handsome....

[Rick33]

I would guess the truth lies somewhere inbetween. It usually (not always) does.

[biglover]

ROFLMAO, Wonderful comeback desertdweller. (But are you six feet tall and handsome)???

JahJah, you don;'t know those folks. How do you know they are nice people. Does it not bother you that they are preaching a lot of b/s and racking in tons of dough? What good are they doing - you tell me. Perhaps you can post some of their good deeds.

[TheHandyman]

"Nice" people don't solicit money on behalf of some imaginary being and then spend it on themselves and an extravagant lifestyle!

[helonias]

So she couldn't ask for a napkin to put over the stain.

[111]

If the flight attendant had to call a cleaning crew to sop up the wet mess it was too big for a napkin.

[helonias]

You were there?

[SwingingFromCenter]

Oh, and of course....where there's swine, there's Rusty Hardin.

Hey Rusty, how did that vehement defense of Roidger...erm, I mean Roger Clemens work out?

[arunachala]

as punishment, the flight attendent should be allowed to slap mrs. osteen across the face.

[111]

and then sit in the wet stuff she wanted Ms. Olsteen to sit in for a few hours

[SwingingFromCenter]

I saw the 60 Minutes special they did on him and his wife. The contrasts between them were so huge.

He struck me as very soft spoken and into his work.

She struck me as being completely obsessed with the material aspect of things. The only time she really lit up was when she was talking about all the expensive stuff that they had put in the new church they built. It was the old "look at how luxurious we are!" schpiel.

Didn't like her.

[HamletsMill]

I have always liked the guy. His father too. But I am more into Sufi systems of insight that actually pre-date Christianity and Islam in their roots. Never-the-less, I find Mr. Olsteen's version of Christianity very helpful to people.

But Mrs. Olsteen seems none too bright. She seems none too bright at all. You interfere with a flight crew these days and you can get into a lot worse trouble than a $3,000 fine. You can get handcuffed or shot. I say draft her American behind and send her to Iraq or Afghanistan and see if Jesus will look after her there. See if facing violent death brings in some true Cosmic insight.

http://www.robertschoch.net/The%20Temple%20of%20Man.htm

http://www.cosmosandpsyche.com/

http://phoenixandturtle.net/excerptmill/santillana.htm

[SantaFeStars]

In my opinion, Ms Brown is telling the truth! The prima donna, Osteen, was obviously ordering everyone around like dogs. You don't treat people in a condescending manner when you want service. Hope Ms Brown wins the suit!

[dolphy]

But not an obscene amount.

[helonias]

That may make real Christians out of them

[111]

You think she really got hemorrhoids because Ms. Olsteen bumped into her?

[BlueZoo]

There's something wrong here. Have any of you actually watched Joel Osteen's service? He NEVER, even once, asks for money and he is definitey NOT a fundamentalist preacher! Now. With that said...

Nothing would excuse Mrs. Osteen if she, indeed, did what she is accused of; however, you are still innocent until proven otherwise in the USA. What gives me suspicion is her choice of Rusty Hardin as her attorney. You don't call Rusty unless you're guilty or need a lot of presence brought into court! (He's too expensive!)

[desertdweller]

Why are the Osteens the subject of a Senate investigation?

[Furby]

Really? That makes this even better than I could ever hope for. Gotta go find more on that story.

[popecorvo]

He DOES ask for money, he said so himself on the 60 Minutes piece, where he "explained" that he doesn't do it when the cameras or rolling. Seems it would "distract" from his message.

Truth is: That IS his message.

[Johnagain]

If he doesn't ask for money, how could he afford his 42,000 seat megachurch (the old Compaq Center)? He didn't get that as a donation. He also didn't deck it out like a palace with spare change. Osteen inhales money like normal people do oxygen. Make no mistake about that.

[nunzia]

Now lookee here.
This woman's husband is in direct communcation with God. So she must be vindicated!
I'm sure that flight attendant is a heathen harlot, a sister of satan, a wanton infidel nipping at the
ankle of one of God's closest friends.
uh-oh.

[TheHandyman]

And look at her name...BROWN....doesn't that make you think of illegals? Or worse yet, Muslims, who are all terrorists! The women even wear scarfs and sometimes veils so we can't tell if they are really women or terrorists. Shouldn't this flight attendant be on a no fly list with a name like that? She probaly knows Barak Osama and could vote for him, that Muslim terraist!

[GeorgeP922]

She needs to start praying for some eyebrow bleach products that actually work.