A new video has been released from a passenger on the United Airlines flight where former NFL running back for the Denver Broncos Terrell Davis was removed by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on July 13. It was emerged according to TMZ Sports who were sent the video by the camp and attorneys of Davis to prove his innocence and show he did nothing wrong.
What originally happened according to Jesse Sarles of CBS News Colorado and even an appearance from the Hall of Fame running back on CBS Morning was Davis “was on a United commercial flight from Denver to California earlier this month when a flight attendant came by the area his family was sitting in and Davis says the attendant didn't respond when his son asked for a cup of ice.”
“Davis then tapped the flight attendant on the shoulder and the attendant suddenly shouted out ‘Don't hit me' and went off to another part of the plane,” Sarles continued. “When the flight landed the captain made an announcement that everyone should remain seated. FBI agents then came onto the plane and handcuffed Davis and took him off the plane for questioning.”
United Airlines apologized after incident with Terrell Davis
Davis' lawyer has said that they are planning on suing the airline for the unnecessary event where the video showed passengers visibly and audibly confused when Davis was taken off the plane. The video even shows Davis' wife, Tamiko Nash, exchange a few words with her husband and the FBI agents as she was left with her children. United released a statement apologizing and saying that they “have removed the flight attendant from duty.”
“This clearly is not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide,” United said in a statement last week per The Los Angeles times. “We have reached out to Mr. Davis’s team to apologize and continue to discuss the issue with them. We have removed the flight attendant from duty while we closely look into this matter and we are reviewing our policies around incidents like this.”
Davis' lawyer releases statement after video releases of Davis
The video even made the original testimony from the fight attendant even more strange as there is no doubt that it was a humiliating moment for the Broncos legend getting taken by law enforcement in front of his family and more than one hundred passengers. This was echoed by Davis' lawyer Parker Stinar in a statement released after the video was sent Tuesday.
“This video confirms the harrowing tale of multiple law enforcement agents, including the FBI, boarding the plane and apprehending a shocked, terrified, humiliated, and compliant Mr. Davis in front of his wife, Tamiko, minor children, and more than one hundred passengers,” Stinar wrote. “The rationale behind the United Airlines employee's deceitful or inaccurate report extends far beyond a mere ice request or innocent tap on the shoulder. This is why we will be filing a lawsuit because only through legal proceedings can we uncover the truth and make United Airlines answer for the systemic shortcomings that culminated in this traumatic incident, causing irreparable harm and enduring suffering for the Davis family.”
Davis was “stripped” of his dignity
There have obviously been a numerous amount of instances like this where race could play a part in to a misunderstanding like what happened with Davis where his sole intention was to get ice for his son. Davis would even to say to CNN that not only was he “stripped of his dignity,” but that if he was white, “that wouldn't have happened.”
“I certainly felt like that wouldn’t have happened if I … was a white person,” Davis said. “That wouldn’t have happened. That’s what I felt. Whether that’s true or not, that’s a different conversation.”
Despite all signs pointing to Davis being in the right, it does not change the fact that the incident happened and will be etched in to the minds of him and the rest of his family.
“As a mom, as a black mom raising two black sons, you work really hard to not have your children have those types of experiences,” Nash said.
The FBI would tell CBS Colorado that they would question Davis once he was escorted off the plane, but quickly released him since they came to the conclusion that he did nothing wrong.
Follow Us
Subscribe
