Retired NBA Player Suing United Airlines over 'Race-Baiting'
A former NBA player is suing United Airlines over what he claims is the rude, dismissive and “race-baiting” conduct of one of its flight attendants.
Eric Murdock, who had a 10-year NBA career with various teams, filed a $10 million suit against the airline, along with another passenger, in a New York Federal Court over the incident that took place in July.
Murdock, 50, was flying home to Newark from a conference in Las Vegas when he asked to sit in the empty emergency exit row behind him with his son, who was seated in a different row, reported the New York Post.
One of the flight attendants approved the change, but another came along and told him to get back to his seat because that row needed to be empty. In the court papers, Murdock claimed the second flight attendant — a white female — was “rude and dismissive” and berated him in front of other passengers.
However, Murdock claims that 30 minutes into the trip, the second flight attendant allowed a white woman to sit there and refused to explain the discrepancy to Murdock, who is black.
When Murdock asked why the woman was allowed to sit in the exit row, he claimed the second flight attendant allegedly told him it was none of his business, according to the New York Daily News.
EXCLUSIVE: Former NBA player Eric Murdock files $10 million discrimination lawsuit against United Airlines over seat assignment https://t.co/EpafSTGgcy pic.twitter.com/QueE8oSNW3
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) November 30, 2018
Another passenger, Brenda Williams, got involved, asking why the woman was so rude to Murdock. The flight attendant allegedly screamed that it was none of her business, reports the Post.
“Erase the video now, or give me your phone!” the flight attendant said, according to the lawsuit. “It’s against the law to record me!”
Williams did not know Murdock before the flight, but has joined him in the lawsuit.
Later, when the same flight attendant came through with refreshments, Murdock claims she asked him if he wanted a beverage or if he was “going to boycott?”
The lawsuit said Murdock “did not respond to the obvious race baiting.”
Murdock and Williams were met by four armed members of the Transportation Security Administration when they got off the plane in Newark. After an interview with the agents, they were allowed to get their luggage and leave without charges.
“In this divisive time people are emboldened to be the worst version of themselves,” Murdock said in a statement. “I never thought that I would personally be in this position, but neither will I back down. If I can use the fame and respect which I have gained to achieve social change I will.”
United spokeswoman Erin Benson told the Daily News that the airline is looking into the incident.
“At United, we proudly hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism and have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind,” Benson said in a statement to the Daily News. “We are looking into the allegations, and because we have not yet been served with the lawsuit, we are unable to provide further comment.”
Murdock, who attended Providence College, was drafted 21st overall in 1991 by the Utah Jazz. His best years were with the Milwaukee Bucks where he played from 1992-1995, averaging about 14 points and 7 assists per game in those three seasons as the starting point guard.
For his career, he averaged 10.1 points per game. In 1995-96 he led the league in steal percentage.
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