DENVER — The lawyers for Broncos Super Bowl champion and NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis released video Tuesday they said shows the detainment of Davis on a United plane earlier this month.
Lawyers representing Davis said the 36-second clip, documenting the former running back being escorted off of a flight, proves "systemic shortcomings" by United Airlines. A statement from Stinar, Gould, Grieco & Hensley Law said the firm would be filing a suit against the airline.
Davis took to social media demanding answers from United Airlines after the incident. He said he was traveling with his family to Orange County on Saturday, July 13, when he said his son politely asked for some ice. A flight attendant "didn't hear or ignored" him, according to Davis. He then “lightly tapped” the flight attendant's arm to get their attention.
The former Broncos star said the flight attendant shouted, “don’t hit me,” then left the beverage cart and walked to the front of the plane.
"I was confused, as were the passengers in front of me who witnessed the exchange,” Davis said. He said he “thought nothing of it, other than this particular employee was incredibly rude and blatantly wrong in his accusations of me hitting him.”
Once the flight landed, Davis said the pilot asked everyone to stay in their seats as the FBI and other law enforcement approached him, handcuffing Davis.
He said he was removed from the plane in handcuffs while other passengers recorded video on their phones.
Davis's lawyers made the following statement after releasing the video:
“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," Parker Stinar, managing partner at Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, said. "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."
On social media Davis previously said, “During questioning, it was rightfully determined by the agents that this flight attendant was inaccurate in his accusations and the agents profusely apologized, even offering to support me and my family in any way possible.”
United Airlines gave Denver7 the following statement on what happened:
"This is clearly not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide, and we have reached out to Mr. Davis’s team to apologize. We have removed the flight attendant from duty while we closely review this matter," the United Airlines' media relations team said.
Davis was an integral part of the Broncos' Super Bowl-winning teams in the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. His 2,008-yard, 21-touchdown 1998 campaign is among the best ever by a running back.
His final three seasons were marred by injury before his retirement in 2001. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
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