Alaska Airlines pilot accused of rape sues co-pilot,

[Guest]

Alaska Airlines pilot accused of rape sues co-pilot, carrier amid 'false #MeToo claims'

By Janine Puhak | Fox News

Alaska Airlines pilot accused of rape sues amid 'false #MeToo claims’

Paul Engelien filed a lawsuit against former First Officer Betty Pina after the 40-year-old woman made national headlines for her claims that the 51-year-old captain drugged and raped her during a layover on a work trip in Minnesota in June 2017.

A former senior Alaska Airlines pilot who was fired earlier this year after a female co-pilot sued the airline, alleging that the captain drugged and raped her during a June 2017 work trip, has filed a lawsuit of his own against his accuser and the carrier. The aviator, who flew for Alaska for 22 years, claims he was wrongly terminated amid “false #MeToo claims” in a “negligent, flawed investigation.”

Paul Engelien filed the lawsuit against former First Officer Betty Pina after the 40-year-old woman claimed the captain, 51, drugged and raped her during a layover on a work trip to Minnesota in June 2017, the Seattle Times reported on Nov. 2.

According to Engelien’s litigation, Pina falsely invented the claims of sexual assault in order to avoid “workplace discipline” given her status as a probationary employee. The former military pilots were subjected to a “routine, internal” alcohol-consumption violation investigation by Alaska regarding their actions on the trip.

Officials at Alaska believed that the pair may have violated the airline’s ten-hour alcohol rule during the work trip, which prohibits pilots from consuming alcohol within ten hours of duty. (Reuters/LinkedIn)

Officials at Alaska believed that the pair may have violated the airline’s ten-hour alcohol rule during layover, which prohibits pilots from consuming alcohol within ten hours of duty.

“Pina’s false claims defamed Engelien, invaded his privacy, decimated his life and career, and caused him severe distress,” Engelien's lawsuit states, arguing that Alaska’s human resources advisor lead a “negligent, flawed and pretextual [internal] investigation” regarding the claims.

The lawsuit also states that Pina was previously involved in a similar incident during her time working for Alaska in May 2017, during which she reportedly “drank too much, blacked out, then later blamed others,” the Times reports.

According to Pina’s LinkedIn profile, she now flies for a Hawaii-based carrier.

Engelien was grounded by Alaska almost immediately after news of Pina’s lawsuit broke in March 2018, before his employment with the airline was terminated. (iStock)

Engelien was grounded by Alaska almost immediately after news of Pina’s lawsuit broke in March 2018, before his employment with the airline was eventually terminated.

Though Pina’s lawsuit against Alaska was settled out of court in September of this year, Engelien claims that he has suffered “devastating economic, emotional and reputations injuries and damages” as caused by accuser’s “false #MeToo” claims" in the lawsuit.

Representatives for Alaska Airlines did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment on the story. https://www.foxnews.com/travel/alaska-airlines-pilot-accused-of-rape-sues-co-pilot-carrier-amid-false-metoo-claims

[Seeker]

OK, everybody pick a side.  Once we get the teams organized we'll square off!

[J.O.]

There will be no “winners”,  no matter how it plays out. 

[Vsplat]

Another cautionary tale of unwitnessed interactions. 

It seems now that, unless you have a gopro embedded somewhere, you're vulnerable to whatever undeclared agenda the other person has.

Perhaps the other person wishes to assault you and is waiting for an opportunity.

Perhaps you see an opportunity to make an accusation and gain something from it.

The next day, there is no way, absent hard evidence, to know which version actually took place.  So whoever in the situation stands to lose the most, loses the most.  Gains, well, the stats are more varied.

Welcome to the 'facts optional' epoch.   This vector had better be a short one.

Vs

[DEFCON]

It would be interesting to know how long the lady was with Alaskan before the first reported incident?

The story leaves this reader wondering if this gal has a bit of a problem with self control when drinking?

It would appear the woman is embarrassed by her behaviour, but only after the fact when her virtuosity is in question.

The article suggests she may be the kind of individual that blames others for her shortcomings rather than accepting personal responsibility?

I wonder if her military file shows a similar pattern?

 

 

 

[Vsplat]

DEFCON, all good questions, yet difficult to sift out without triggering the victim-blaming landmine, so often are those defences abused in legitimate cases.  Can these questions even be asked without blowback?

All of this just underscores how much of this is about power and leverage.  While there are true cases of assault and abuse and these clearly must dealt with fully, it's the opportunistic abuse of just processes that ultimately ruin them.  I see today a couple of Kavanaugh accusers now facing charges.  What's the truth there?

I can think of so many examples, not just involving criminal activity.  Perhaps OT, but if our social safety network of sick leave, disability insurance and even health insurance were ever to collapse, I'd look to a similar source of rot as the cause.

Vs

[DEFCON]

I agree Vsplat, claims of the sexual sort made long after the alleged event occurred are especially troubling knowing the passage of time makes the allegation near impossible to prove, or disprove and can scar the accused person's reputation forever regardless.

I think you hit the comparative nail squarely when you mentioned disability insurance etc..