Passenger Sexually Asaulted On Flight, Filed Lawsuit Against Delta Air Lines

A woman in the US has filed a civil lawsuit against Delta Air Lines, alleging flight attendants failed to protect her from a man who masturbated next to her and assaulted her during a flight from South Carolina to Detroit in July last year.

The Michigan woman’s lawyer said first-class passenger Christopher Finkley, 41, who was convicted last month of simple assault and indecent exposure, began touching himself shortly after takeoff.

This gentleman, was fondling himself in first-class he was noticed about 40 minutes into the two-hour flight by a flight attendant,the flight attendant apparently called down to Detroit to make sure that police would be there to arrest this man,lawyer Jordan Acker said.

Finkley, according to a sentencing memorandum, went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom because the one in first-class was out of order. On his way back to his seat, Finkley sat in an empty aisle seat next to the woman.

Shortly after the defendant sat down, he placed his hand on the victim’s upper thigh and began to rub her bare skin, the court document read.

While he was doing this, the defendant told her that he liked white women and asked where’s your man?

The victim told him to ‘please stop’ and saidmy kids are behind me.

Finkley continued touching the woman’s bare thigh, saying he was merely massaging her leg, before putting his hand underneath the woman’s shorts.

He then returned to his seat after realising the flight was about to land.

After his return, he resumed rubbing his penis, this time observed by a second flight attendant, the sentencing memorandum read.

Upon landing, the woman immediately texted her daughter and told her to stay in her seat because she was scared.

Finkley was later taken into FBI custody and told an investigator he had two drinks before and during the flight.

He initially denied masturbating, claiming the zipper of his shorts must have malfunctioned and was spotted by flight attendants as he tried to fix it.

After being told he could be prosecuted for making false statements, Finkley admitted that he liked to sit with his hands in his pants and massage his penis, what he called “his happy place,” according to the sentencing memorandum.

He stated that he did not mean for the flight attendants to see his penis but that it is possible that they did, the document reads.

Defendant then admitted to touching the lady on the outside of her knee and making a ‘caressing motion’.

Finkley pleaded guilty to simple assault on November 2 in connection to the incident.

He denied masturbating on the flight, however, admitting only to touching the woman’s leg, claiming that his zipper was broken and that he does not wear underwear.

Finkley was later sentenced to seven days in jail and one year of probation.

Ashton Marrow, a spokeswoman for Delta Air Lines, declined to comment on the lawsuit.t.