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September 2008
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August 2008 ArchivesThis was an example of swift justice. The jury started deliberating at about 11:30 a.m. Judge Patricia Hancock: Rusty Hardin, Victoria Osteen's attorney "This is who she ought to sue, the FAA. What's the significance of the FBI calling? The FBI looked at it and dropped it. If you are seeking vindication and not trying to hit the lottery... and what you really want is for her to be held accountable you ask for criminal charges. The point is if your motives are clear. Rusty Hardin, Victoria Osteen's attorney: "Let's take how the plaintiff started and how they stopped. Who was their first witness, their first independent witness and their last independent witness? Mr. McGregor: It's fair to say that you did not see Victoria Osteen hit Ms. Brown. Isn't it true that Victoria Osteen never hit Ms. Brown? Answer: Yes Rusty Hardin, Victoria Osteen's attorney: "If you put a no on this question, we end this blast. If you conclude that there is no assault, if you click no, you click the buzzer and we are out of here. And you take as long as you think that is appropriate. If the 10 of you think the answer should be no and there is no reason to consider any of the other questions, go away. How are you going to decide that? Rusty Hardin, Victoria Osteen's attorney: "Some of you asked during jury selection, 'why are we hear?' and I can't give you a good answer. But I can tell you because of some type of self vindication. We are not here because we should be. I'm not going to call this frivolous and many have been called that. ...Reginald McKamie, Sharon Brown's attorney: "You look at passenger Steele. He did not even know that Victoria went up there. How credible was that. The other passenger, she said she didn't hear anything. How many people came here and said they heard Victoria Osteen and Sharon Brown. How credible is that? ...Reginald McKamie, Sharon Brown's attorney: "We are not seeking sympathy. And we don't want you to give her sympathy because she was crying. Sharon Brown has not shed a tear even though they have put her life out here in this courtroom. Reginald McKamie, Sharon Brown's attorney: "Maria Johnson saw it. There are three true witnesses to this. Maria Johnson, Sharon Brown and Victoria Osteen. Everybody when you look at their testimony didn't see anything. But there is circumstantial evidence. The pilot knew. ...Reginald McKamie delivers Sharon Brown's closing arguments. ...After four days of testimony, the civil assault case against one of Houston's most famous preachers is rapidly coming to an end. Continental flight attendant, Sharon Brown, claims Victoria Osteen hit and elbowed her on a scheduled 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colorado.
Barbara Shedden was on the December 19, 2005 flight. Rusty Hardin just finished cross examination... Rusty Hardin: "Is this like 'the child that kills his parents and then complains of being an orphan'?" ...Rusty Hardin played Sharon Brown's 2007 video deposition and he asked, "Victoria Osteen gave you Hemorrhoids?" Sharon Brown answered, "Yes." ...Hardin asked, "Do you think you are going to be able to afford it because they are going to give you money?" ...Sharon Brown just took the stand again this morning. Osteen attorney, Rusty Hardin, is crossexamining Sharon Brown for the second day. The defense grilled Sharon Brown for hours. Osteen attorney, Rusty Hardin, questioned Continental flight attendant, Sharon Brown for the majority of the day today. One of his major points was "perception," and how that played a role in the VERY different stories we've heard from the stand. He was trying to show that Sharon Brown's perception of what happened during the scheduled December 19, 2005 flight was wrong. ...Rusty cross examining = R We are looking at a bill from Sharon Brown's psychiatrist. And on the bill there are 6 charges starting January 2006. But then in a hand written note there is a charge on 12/19/2005, the day of the alleged incident! Rusty Hardin asked, "Could you have called the psychologist that day!" ...
S:"I wanted her to go in front of her c...
S: My main concern w... McKamie = M Sharon Brown's testimony continues: M: After you finished doing that... what did you do? S: I went to Continental Airlines. M: Can you tell the jury when you went to Continental Airlines. S: In 1992. ...Finally, the moment everyone has been talking about all morning has arrived. Sharon Brown takes the stand. McKamie = M M: Where did you grow up? S: I grew up in Fort Worth, TX. M: Any brothers and sisters? ...After the captain, Joel Osteen was asked to take the stand. McKamie = M M: Therman has been a friend of yours for years? (quick back ground, Therman is a Continental employee that is a church member) J: Yes M: Would he accompany you every time you are at the airport? J: Well, he would meet us when we were at the airport. He would just wait in line with us. ...
Crystal Brown, Sharon Brown's daughter was on the stand for a few minutes. She described her mother as outgoing, happy-go-lucky, and very religious until the flight incident. After the alleged assault by Victoria Osteen she says that her mother's spirits broke. She says Sharon Brown stopped exercising and stopped being the mother she knew. ...
She told jurors that she did not assault Continental Airlines flight attendant, Sharon Brown. The televangelist's wife says she asked the flight cre... McKamie: "You are not the same person on the stage as you are at home." Victoria: "Yes, I am." ...McKamie: "Do you agree or disagree with Maria Johnson's testimony." Victoria: "I disagree with that." The court broke for lunch and this afternoon we heard a videotaped testimony of Verssie Ray. Ray works for Continental Airlines and has been a flight attendant for more than 30 years. ...After the objection, McKamie continues to question Osteen. After Hardin finished asking Osteen questions, it was McKamie's turn. This time, instead of talking about finances, McKamie targets Osteen's work. ...Hardin continues to question Osteen about how Osteen dealt with the situation. ...Joel Osteen continued to tell his side of the story. After the Osteen's were taken from the plane, they waited in baggage claim to collect their luggage. ...After the initial questioning, Hardin starts to ask Joel Osteen what happened on the plane that day. ...McKamie may have been done with his testimony, but it wasn't time for Joel Osteen to leave the stand. Instead, it was time for him to answer a few questions from defense lawyer, Rusty Hardin. ...McKamie continued to question Joel Osteen. After going though the financial reasons why the Osteen's would not want Victoria's alleged actions to be true, he went on to the reason why Victoria may have lost control on the plane. Below are a few excerpts: ...Questioning continues for Joel Osteen. McKamie is trying to see if Victoria's actions -- if she did assault the flight attendant -- would affect the Osteen's financially. ...Joel Osteen took the stand and described that the Osteen's were there as a family. Victoria and their10-year-old son, Jonathan, were planning to sit together, and Joel and their daughter were sitting together. Reginald McKamie, Sharon Brown's attorney asked Joel the following: McKamie: "Did you go up and ask what's going on?" ...Victoria Osteen walked into court today wearing a peach two-piece suit. The shade was just a little darker than her attorney's, Rusty Hardin, tie. ...Continental flight attendant Sharon Brown is expected to take the stand on Friday; that's what her attorney, Reginald McKamie, told the open court late Thursday. ... |
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