Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis plans on suing United Airlines after an incident where he was cuffed by security when a flight attendant accused the NFL legend of hitting him.
Davis announced the decision after he and his lawyers released a video of the incident to the public.
“The agent walks up to me, and he leans over and whispers, ‘Don’t fight it,’ and he put the cuffs on me,” Davis said during an interview with CBS Mornings in which he and his family discussed what took place.
He also said he was in disbelief that the shoulder-tapping could have led to him being detained by federal officers.
In the video, you can see someone approaching Davis wearing an FBI jacket, and flight crew members are watching silently from near the cockpit.
Davis’ wife, Tamiko, can be seen on the video standing up and exchanging a few words with the agent and with Davis. Tamiko also appeared on CBS Mornings with her husband and said she first thought the situation might be a practical joke. She says she and her husband try to shield their children from these situations, and both parents say having it happen in front of their children was traumatizing.
The FBL told a CBS affiliate in Colorado that they had determined that Davis did nothing wrong and later the airline apologized to the former NFL star and fired the flight attendant.
“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,” Tamiko said.
The Davis family released a statement explaining why they plan to proceed with the lawsuit.
“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. 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.”