Jan 16-FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A jury in Massachusetts ruled on Friday that American Airlines should pay a South Florida man $400,000 in a discrimination case. John Cerqueira and his attorneys accused American Airlines of racial profiling after he was removed from a plane in Boston in December 2003. Cerqueira said he had visited family in the Boston area and was trying to fly back to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when American Airlines officials ordered him and two other men off the plane.
"I have a feeling these kinds of incidents of racial profiling happen to people more often than we're aware of," said Cerqueira.
Cerqueira said three Massachusetts state police officers escorted him and two Israeli men off of the plane. They were all questioned and later released.
American Airline tried to defend itself by saying the profiling was behaviour based but the Jury chose to disregard the AAirline testimony. This will give aid and comfort to the supporters of jihad friendly 'anti profiling' legislation. |