I agree that its 95% likely that the pax would not support the removed pax for no reason. It would also have been interesting if either of:
1. Other passengers either got off the plane or disrupted the flight in support of the ejected passenger. This is not un heard of. At PHL there was a case where a commuter f/a tossed off a passenger who is blind using a seeing eye dog. All of the passengers rallied around the tossed off pax and dog, and they ended up having to cancel the flight. It actually gained huge media traction, I think because of the dog. Nobody really cares about the pax, but people got really excited and engaged because it involved a dog and somehow society and the media were able to make a connection with the dog.
or
2. If the pax had resisted the removal effort, and or if they had to get the PDX airport police? Then there would have to be full statements, and at arraignment the prosecutor would have to lay out to the judge the horrid acts that the passenger committed to warrant being thrown off the plane. Also the media gets excited about police, arrests, courtroom proceedings, etc. so that would have been a driver to get more of a investigation. Also does anyone know what the parameters are for when such an incident would be handled by local police and prosecutors vs. when it would be handled by the feds, FBI, with a corresponding arraignment in federal district court. as opposed to say the local PDX district court? Interfering with a flight crew is a federal crime rather than a state crime, but I don't know if the door of the aircraft has to be closed 9in order to triggger that charge? Or how do the airport police decide to arrest you either for disorderly conduct, or interfering with a flight crew? Can a local non federal LEO even arrest you for a federal crime of interference with the duties of a flight crew? Or can they only arrest you for disorderly, for example, and then the feds would charge you with the federal crime?
I wonder how much training the LEO's have in forcably removing someone from a full flight, and the degree of force or negotiation they use, eetc.? I.e. do they have to evacuate the plane first?
3. If someone is arrested or detained dby the police in a circumstance like this, and they find they really did not do anything wrong, I wonder if sometimes they are released without being charged and therefore again a complete investigation or court action never takes place? "Hey, we'll just let you go." Hey, we'll just sweep it under the rug.
Also the person could have asked for compensation for being removed. The gate agents main mission is to get the flight out on time, so especially if the removal reason is questionable, they may very well give out something like VDB compensation. Remember, if they have to call the police, make arrests, and fill out all that paperwork, I think we're looking at possibly a 2 hour delay, and its going to be a much more involved process for the flight crew, the gate agent, the pax, etc. there may also be another plane that needs that gate. So you might think its crazy, but gate agents are under enormous pressure to keep the ops running on time, and the voucher candy isn't there money.