Ex-Ram Tyoka Jackson sued by flight attendant

[RamWraith]

By Robert Patrick
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/24/2007

A Northwest Airlines flight attendant and his wife sued former Rams player Tyoka Jackson for $1.2 million Tuesday, saying Jackson knocked the attendant across the plane during a flight to Lambert.
Gary and Bonita Rihn's lawsuit says Jackson was on a flight from Memphis to St. Louis on Feb. 13, 2005 and refused to follow Gary Rihn's instructions as the plane prepared to land.

When Rihn asked Jackson again, Jackson hit Rihn and knocked him across the plane's cabin, injuring his head, shoulder, arm, knee and back, the suit says.

Rihn was treated at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and has spent over $6,300 so far on medical expenses, the suit says. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and has been humiliated, the suit says.

Rihn's suit, filed Tuesday, asks for $250,000 in actual damages and $750,000 in punitive damages and his wife asks for a total of $200,000.

Jackson left the Rams last spring after five years and is now a defensive end for the Detroit Lions.

Jackson could not be immediately reached for comment through a former lawyer or the Lions.

[UtterBlitz]

Sounds like some anger management issues, or a get rich quick scheme.

Bizzare....must be weird to be a football player with a lot of money. Tyoka seemed pretty happy to me. I wonder if there is any truth to this?

[cowboyhater]

By Robert Patrick
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/24/2007

A Northwest Airlines flight attendant and his wife sued former Rams player Tyoka Jackson for $1.2 million Tuesday, saying Jackson knocked the attendant across the plane during a flight to Lambert.
Gary and Bonita Rihn's lawsuit says Jackson was on a flight from Memphis to St. Louis on Feb. 13, 2005 and refused to follow Gary Rihn's instructions as the plane prepared to land.

When Rihn asked Jackson again, Jackson hit Rihn and knocked him across the plane's cabin, injuring his head, shoulder, arm, knee and back, the suit says.

Rihn was treated at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and has spent over $6,300 so far on medical expenses, the suit says. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and has been humiliated, the suit says.

Rihn's suit, filed Tuesday, asks for $250,000 in actual damages and $750,000 in punitive damages and his wife asks for a total of $200,000.

Jackson left the Rams last spring after five years and is now a defensive end for the Detroit Lions.

Jackson could not be immediately reached for comment through a former lawyer or the Lions.

Okay, I can't help it, but I am suspicious when these kinds of suits are lodged by male stewardesses.

Moreover, there is no indication that Tyoka got into any trouble with FAA or even the rest of the crew during the flight. There is no indication of broken bones. For all I know he is complaining about an owwwie, real or imagined. I won't dismiss out of hand post-traumatic stress when it applies to someone in a foxhole for two weeks with the option of making or being hamburger, and having to watch it made in any event. I for one would be honored to say that I got pushed across an airplane by Tyoka Jackson. Humiliation is when you get pushed across an airplane by Richard Simmons or Paula Jones. Why should the wife get $200,000? This smells.

If this guy kept quiet he probably could have gotten the hospital bill paid (airlines don't provide medical coverage?) and maybe a few grand and some autographed merchandise for his trouble. But if I'm Tyoka, I spend that money on a hot shot attorney and probably get him to go whimpering away before the second round of discovery.

[tomahawk247]

i want to know why it took almost two whole years for them to file the suit...

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

i want to know why it took almost two whole years for them to file the suit...

And how the media never found out and reported on it when it allegedly happened...

[RAMMAN68]

Why should the wife get $200,000? This smells.

That's a good question; could she be Hillary Clinton?

[AlphaRam]

If you are a flight attendant and you flew across the plane, aren't you merely maximizing your potential?