Current:Home > ScamsAmerican Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat-LoTradeCoin
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
View Date:2024-12-23 20:43:09
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a 9-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
An airline spokesperson confirmed Friday that the Wilson Elser law firm is no longer defending American in a lawsuit filed by the girl’s family.
American retained Kelly Hart & Hallman, a Fort Worth-based firm that has done extensive work for American in other matters.
The change in lawyers came after Wilson Elser said in a court document that any harm to the girl could be blamed on her “fault and negligence” for using the lavatory, “which she knew or should have known contained a visible and illuminated recording device.”
A former American flight attendant is accused of luring girls to use the lavatory after taping his iPhone to the toilet seat and explaining that the seat was broken. Estes Carter Thompson III, who was fired by American, pleaded not guilty this week to attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of images of child sexual abuse.
The 9-year-old’s family sued American in state court in Austin, Texas, after the FBI told them that videos of the girl were found on the flight attendant’s phone.
“With the benefit of this new legal representation, we hope that American Airlines will now take a fresh look at the case and finally take some measure of responsibility for what happened to our client,” said Paul Llewellyn, a lawyer for the girl’s family.
Llewellyn is also representing the family of a 14-year-old who is suing American in federal court in North Carolina over the same flight attendant’s alleged acts.
Wilson Elser did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
veryGood! (63)
Related
- 'We suffered great damage': Fierce California wildfire burns homes, businesses
- Punxsutawney Phil’s babies are named Shadow and Sunny. Just don’t call them the heirs apparent
- Michigan doctor sentenced to 12 years for distributing opioid pills worth more than $6M
- Man shot and killed after raising a gun at four Anchorage officers, police chief says
- 'Yellowstone' premiere: Record ratings, Rip's ride and Billy Klapper's tribute
- Flash floods in northern Afghanistan sweep away livelihoods, leaving hundreds dead and missing
- Suspect in fatal shooting of Ohio police officer dead after standoff: What we know
- WFI Token: Elevating Ai Wealth Creation 4.0 to New Heights
- 2025 NFL mock draft: QBs Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward crack top five
- Virginia General Assembly poised to vote on compromise budget deal reached with Youngkin
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Good Try (Freestyle)
- Roger Corman, trailblazing independent film producer, dies at 98
- Man shot and killed after raising a gun at four Anchorage officers, police chief says
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversees latest test of new multiple rocket launcher
- Japan to resume V-22 flights after inquiry finds pilot error caused accident
- Sudan’s military fends off an attack by paramilitary forces on a major Darfur city
- A top Cambodian opposition politician is charged with inciting disorder for criticizing government
- Everlane’s Latest Capsule Collection Delivers Timeless Classics That Are Chic, Stylish & Vacation-Ready
Recommendation
-
Will the NBA Cup become a treasured tradition? League hopes so, but it’s too soon to tell
-
Swiss singer Nemo wins controversy-plagued Eurovision Song Contest
-
2024 NBA mock draft: Atlanta Hawks projected to take Alex Sarr with No. 1 pick
-
Smoke from Canadian wildfires brings poor air quality to Minnesota Monday, alert issued
-
NCT DREAM enters the 'DREAMSCAPE': Members on new album, its concept and songwriting
-
Nelly Korda's historic LPGA winning streak comes to an end at Cognizant Founders Cup
-
3 Atlanta police officers shot after responding to call about armed man
-
The Token Revolution of WT Finance Institute: Launching WFI Token to Fund and Enhance 'Ai Wealth Creation 4.0' Investment System