21 Years in Jail for Slapping a Flight Attendant?
Jeff Edwards March 22, 2019
An Australian woman convicted by a jury on felony charges related to assaulting a cabin crew member could now face a maximum of 21 years in prison when she is sentenced in June. The guilty verdict is the result of a January incident in which an apparently drunk Adau Akui Atem Mornyang had to be restrained by federal air marshals following a violent meltdown on a transpacific flight.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California announced on Tuesday that an Australian national who assaulted a flight attendant during a United Airlines flight from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in January has been found guilty of federal charges. Adau Akui Atem Mornyang was convicted by a jury on one felony charge of interference with a flight crew and one misdemeanor charge of assault. She now faces a statutory maximum sentence of 21 years in federal prison.
The 24-year-old Victoria woman finds herself facing decades behind bars following a January 21st incident in which the visibly intoxicated passenger violently objected to a flight attendant refusing to serve her any more alcoholic beverages. Prosecutors say the disruptive flyer’s behavior continued to escalate until federal air marshals and crew members were forced to restrain the out-of-control air traveler.
“According to the evidence presented at trial, several hours into the flight, passengers approached a flight attendant to complain about Mornyang’s disruptive behavior, which included flailing her arms and yelling obscenities and racial slurs,” a Department of Justice spokesperson explained. “When the flight attendant approached to assess the situation, Mornyang began to shout at the flight attendant and then slapped him across his face. The flight attendant attempted to restrain Mornyang until federal air marshals could assist. The federal air marshals were forced to stay with Mornyang in the rear galley of the plane for the remainder of the flight.”
According to multiple media reports, Mornyang had consumed as many as six mini-bottles of wine during the 14-hour-long flight. In addition to slapping a flight attendant, she also reportedly removed her socks and threw them at fellow passengers then later kicked an air marshal in the chest. One of the air marshals involved testified that Mornyang was “the worst disruptive passenger” he had ever encountered in his decade-long career with the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS).
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The managers and companies who install 3-3-3 seating on a slim platform like the 787 should be held liable 50% for any such incident. Sure some passengers are true passengers from hell but acting as if confinement, lack of space, pain, and irritation are no promoting such outbreaks is just white-washing of major contributors.
Why did a case like this even get to court? You would think prosecutors and federal courts would have real criminals to deal with. Think of the thousands of dollars spent just bringing this to trial. It's not like this is a danger criminal that needs to be kept off the streets.
21 Days for being drunk would be more appropriate. Anything more than that is police state tyranny.
20 years is absurd and the final amount will be a good deal less. That is, unless such a sentence is intended to "message" future in-air offenders a warning..! "F%@$ with flight crews, and get slapped with a sentence worse than that of murderers or child molesters"
Isn't this what the NO FLYER LIST is for? Seems like not ever being able to fly again would be better than a few years in jail. (we all know she won't get or serve anywhere near 21 years)