Megachurch Wife Sued for Assault

The wife of megachurch evangelist Joel Osteen told jurors Friday she was "dumbfounded" and "shook up" after a flight attendant accused her of assaulting her over a spill on a first-class seat. Victoria Osteen, in court because the flight attendant is suing her, said she pushed no one and even ended up cleaning the spill that sparked the incident herself.

Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown claims Victoria Osteen grabbed, elbowed and pushed her before the start of a 2005 flight to Vail, Colo. Victoria Osteen and her husband, who also had been on board and testified earlier Friday, denied that account.

The couple are co-pastors of Houston's Lakewood Church, a converted basketball arena that draws about 42,000 people each week for services. Joel Osteen's weekly television address is broadcast nationally and internationally and he has written books that have been sold around the globe.

The couple already paid a $3,000 fine to "put the incident behind them", but now a lawyer has gotten into the act and wants serious money. He wants an apology to his client (Brown) and punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of Victoria Osteen's net worth as part of the lawsuit. (So she could "tithe" to the lawyers!)

Brown claims she suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder because of the incident and that her faith has been affected. She is also suing for counseling expenses. She is probably getting paid disability payments and demanding time off for the "tramatic experience" as well. (Makes you wonder how she would handle an emergentcy landing!)

See Chick's THE TRIAL.