Jury begins deliberation in American Airlines lawsuit

The jurors in a lawsuit brought against American Airlines by a former flight attendant began their deliberations Monday afternoon after hearing closing arguments from lawyers on both sides. Kimberly Goesling, who worked as a flight attendant for the Fort Worth-based airline for more than 30 years before her December retirement, claims she was sexually assaulted by celebrity chef Mark Sargeant on a work trip to Germany in 2018. In her lawsuit, she also says American Airlines retaliated against her after she reported the assault and removed her from her top position, as well as special projects.

Among the 13 questions the jury has to answer in their deliberations, which began just before 1 p.m. Monday in a Tarrant County courtroom, are if Sargeant assaulted Goesling, if former American Airlines manager Brett Hooyerink was acting as a vice principal for the company on the trip and if the airline participated in Goesling’s assault through Hooyerink, who Sargeant testified drank with him and encouraged him to pursue Goesling. Goesling’s lawyers are asking for more than $25.6 million to cover medical costs and damages. Goesling’s lawyer Robert Miller told the jury the assault was “inevitable” and that the evidence that includes text messages from Sargeant to Goesling suggest that beyond a reasonable doubt. Where the defense has argued Goesling was inconsistent in her story, Miller maintained his client stayed consistent. Miller said testimonies show Hooyerink was the person employees reported to on the business trip to Germany, and that he was also the one who set the agenda.