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Civil Trial of High-Profile Preacher’s Wife Begins
August 8th, 2008Victoria Osteen has been charged with causing a ruckus on the plane 
A flight attendant whose psychiatrist says felt “disrespected as a Black woman” is suing the wife of the pastor of one of the nation’s largest evangelical churches, saying she was assaulted on a flight from Houston to Colorado. Sharon Brown is suing Victoria Osteen, who is married to televangelist Joel Osteen, with whom she co-pastors the Lakewood Church in Houston, a converted football stadium that draws some 42,000 members each week. Brown claims that Osteen threw her against a bathroom door and elbowed her in her breast before the start of a flight three years ago, The Associated Press reports. The fracas on the Continental Airlines flight apparently began over a spill about the size of a 50-cent piece on a seat in first class. Osteen allegedly was agitated that the spill wasn’t being cleaned up fast enough. Another flight attendant, Maria Johnson, testified Thursday that Osteen was out of control and corroborated Brown’s claims. “She was demanding that attention be given to her immediately,” Johnson said. Osteen kept saying: “This is ridiculous. I’m a first-class passenger,” Johnson added. She confirmed Brown’s assertion that Osteen was so upset that she tried to force her way into the cockpit. “She took Sharon by the shoulders and pushed her out of the way. Sharon stumbled,” Johnson testified. Johnson, who is White, suggested that race might have been a factor, noting that Osteen only wanted to deal with her and not the other two flight attendants, who are Black. But Rusty Hardin, Victoria Osteen’s attorney, said the lawsuit is all about money. “This is nothing more than an attempted extortion,” Hardin told jurors during opening statements. While admitting that Victoria Osteen is sometimes a “very excitable and expressive person,” Hardin said she was never out of control. AP reports that Brown’s psychiatrist, Shayna Lee, testified that “Brown has suffered depression and post-traumatic stress disorder because of the incident. She also felt disrespected in her role as a leader and as a Black woman, and had her faith affected.” Brown’s attorney, Reginald McKamie, told jurors that Brown was only doing her job. “Sharon was attacked by someone in the community who supposedly represents a higher degree of human decency,” he said. Brown is seeking an apology and 10 percent of Victoria Osteen’s net worth as part of her suit. Is this about money or did Victoria Osteen mess up in a major way?
JEORGA :
Thank you so much for the reminder of those wonderful ole’ shcool godspell lyric’s of WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS ALL OUR SIN AND
GRIEF’S TO BEAR. You just took me back to a wonderful place ,we all
are human and have sins.I know this have nothing to do with the subject
but I hope that’s the song Bernie Mac is hereing on his journey to see his
family in heaven. WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS……………………..
Even if the first class service was terrible, Victoria Osteen as a public figure and so-called “co-pastor” of such a large congregation was obligated to conduct herself in a more Christian-like way because she represents not only herself and her husband but Christians. Yes she is only human but as “true” Christians we are supposed to behave more Christ-like and be a representative of the goodness of GOD for non-believers. When we act like she did…we fail. Enough said!!!
No christian is perfect , so please don’t try to put that label on us, we all show our azz sometime’s and act a fool were human, church folk’s are some of the most phony people in the world ,when trying to act holy than thou but when behind close doors we are crazy as heck. Every since 911
airline service has been the worse and would make anybody snap….
Of course no Christian is perfect…but when you are in the position that Victoria Osteen is in…you are held to a higher standard and she did not rise to the occasion as she should have. And if she behaves that way in such a trivial situation…what does she do when real issues arise? Not all chruch folk’s are phony either!!! She is a public figure pretending to be holier than thou on Sunday and raising hell on the airplane!
It all boils down to is that God sees and know all. He knows Mrs. Brown heart and Mrs. Osteens heart. Pray on it, only God allow things to happen for u and to u. Wrong is wrong, for some people situation ends up being a wake up call for them. So if Mrs. Osteen was being raceses then God will deal with her. If its all about money then God will deal with Mrs.Brown…………..She’ll get all or nothing.. peace and oil sheen
This is clearly about money and some lawyer that saw an opportunity to “help” this flight attendant. If it was seriously about the incident there would have been assault charges as opposed to having a civil trial. And really….10% of her net worth for a shove??? That is absolutely ridiculous! I am in no way discounting the alleged assault and she should be reprimanded for that. Suffering from “depression and post-traumatic stress disorder” from getting pushed though is a little far fetched. I can see how she felt disrespected, as would I, but to have her faith affected…faith in what/who? Faith in common decency of the general public, in God…I’m lost with that statement. If one human beings in which you only had a brief encounter with can “affect” your faith so traumatically, then that’s just pathetic!
Kish its dictionary time, this is how to spell H-e-m-o-r-r-h-o-i-d-s
look it up ok before you try correcting someone else
ROTFLMAO. Everybody on the plane and everybody in this forum. Black – White – Money – No Money. Who cares? I mean really. There is not a single one us who has not been looked down at some point in our lives, the point is not how someone else sees you (or in this case sees Ms Brown) the point is how she (And we ) see ourselves. So why not let’s all put on our big girl panties here, and just grow up.
I am a member of Lakewood church in Houston, Tx. The Osteen’s are co-pastors there. I was shocked when I heard of this trial involving Victoria. I can honestly say the Osteen’s are genuine Christian people. However, I do get a funny vibe about Victoria when I see her at church. It’s quite possible that she said something verbally offensive to the attendant. But, it is far fetched that she physically assualted her in anyway. I do beleive this is a ploy to extort money from the Osteens because, they are high profile people. The truth will come out in the end and justice will prevail. God nows the heart of the victim and the defendant. If Victoria did something wrong she should indeed apologize and be fined. FYI…she already payed a fine to the FAA for $3,000.
Reegal, “It’s” dictionary time, not “its.” The apostrophe represents the missing letter in the abbreviation of “it is.” Look it up, ok?
SParr:
You need to shut the f u c k up and grow up, since your addressing the whole forum. Our opinion counts here just like yours!
I feel she needs to practice what she preaches.Most christians don’t act like that,specaily pastors wives, true christains don’t do these types of things. just because something was wasted on a seat ? That was silly for her to get up set about.She could of handled that better than that by her being a christain women.She is suppose to be an example for people whom are sinners specially if there was someone out there wanting to become a member of there church. this probably turned them away, So sense there is witnesses that seen this incident she should pay for her mistake and pray and move on. GOD BLESS YOU.
This is CRAZY!!!!!!!!! This happen three years ago? Money is evil! If this happen three years ago. Well why wasn’t she taken off the plane? Money is not the answer to her problem’s. If she does get the $$ people will look at her crazy!!! Spend it wisley and don’t forget about 10% to the church!
I am inclined to think that it is about money, but if Mrs. Osteen put herself in the positon to be sued in the fist place. Does this flight attendent deserve 10% of the woman’s net worth UH NO!!! cmon now. On the other hand as someone who works in the Travel Industry, people need to learn how to conduct themselves. Especially people in leadership roles. She is lucky she was not put in jail considering the hightened security theses days.
And leave my typos alone… LOL
sunshine you need to stpo advertising!!
I feel it is all about the money. Hell, it was three years ago and while wait until now to sue her. It is a crime shame that now a days you get sue for any little darn thing. She is in a position that she provide customer service and no matter how stupid or crazy some customers act at times. What if it was a person in lower class and wasn’t famous, would she had sue them if they acted like that towards her? I believe not. I don’t understand why she waited three years to sue. I would had sued before now. Plus, you can’t sue everybody who treat you like wrong. Girlfriend, you really need to sit down and get a life. If I was on the juror, I wouldn’t give you nothing.
I don’t see my post? Does anyone know why?
I still don’t see my comment?
Come on now. I’m all for people being held accountable for their behavior and especially when it affects others, but this is overkill. This is the reason why legitimate lawsuits are getting tossed because of frivolous ones like this. Listen, Osteen’s behavior was uncalled for, disruptive and a bit Leona Helmsley-like to me, but to ask for 10% of her net worth. Come on. That’s all about money. I wonder what would have happened (and does happen) to regular passengers who act stupid abroad flights. Do they get sued for a percentage of their personal wealth? I’d be willing to bet they don’t. Gold diggers are everywhere. They sit like vultures on a branch waiting for someone to do anything that they can jump on and play the victim.